OREGON — Mary Catherine Bridget McGinniss, age 80, of Oregon, IL was called home peacefully on October 22, 2023. Born to proud parents Thomas & Elnora (Waters) McGinniss on August 6, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York. Her parents moved to the Janesville, Wisconsin area. She attended St Pat's school and graduated from Janesville High School.

Mary married Charles Walikonis in Janesville, Wisconsin and they soon moved to Sarasota, Florida, with her daughter in late 1969, early 1970. Mary enjoyed the weather and all the activities the sunshine state had to offer. Her and her husband welcomed a beautiful baby boy while living in Sarasota, Florida. Mary loved hosting her parents as well as welcoming any of her 8 siblings on their vacations into their home. She worked and held down the house with two active children. Mary enjoyed learning how to make authentic Mexican food from the neighbor and also loved having pool parties with the other neighbors. Fun fact, Mary learned how to drive at the age of 33 in Florida. Every year they would make the trip back to Janesville for a couple weeks in the summer and again during Christmas.

In 1979, they decided to move the family back north to be closer to "home". They settled in Mt Morris, IL. Mary worked for Kable News Company and was a very active parent in the Booster Club. Never missed a sporting activity of her children's. Always cheering them on from the sidelines or bleachers. Mary had and continues to have many deep friendships from the Mt Morris area. A great listener and one to always offer advice to those closest friends.

She left the Mt Morris area to return to Janesville Wisconsin in 1987. While in Janesville, she worked for Borg Warner and then moved to Beloit, Wisconsin and worked for Taylor Freezer. While there she again made life long friends. While working and living in Beloit she went back to school and received a degree in Business at the age of 55. When she retired from Taylor Freezer in 2010, she decided to move closer to her grandchildren who she was so very proud of. Always showing up for their events just like she did with her own children. While living in Oregon, IL she reunited with her friends and enjoyed their once a month lunches. She lived in Oregon, IL from 2010 until her passing.

Mary never missed a birthday or anniversary. Always mailing cards to those friends and family. She was an avid reader and a master at crocheting blankets. She made sure over the years that not only her children were provided with the loving warmth of her blankets, her grandchildren each received one as well. Along with providing blankets to all the nieces and nephews who were starting their own families for their babies. She was a lover of music and loved to dance. There was always music in the background to be heard in her homes over the years. She loved to cook and host Thanksgiving and Christmas meals to her adult children and grandchildren. Christmas was by far her favorite holiday. More importantly, she learned from her mother the gift of baking and made sure family, friends and neighbors over the years got a loaf of her famous Pumpkin Bread. Mary made an impact on so many people with her kindness, sharp quick wit and a lover of hearing a dirty joke as well as telling them. So much laughter!!!

She will be missed deeply and dearly by her daughter, Trinette ( Oregon, IL ) her son Ty and daughter in law Jennifer (Elgin, IL) grandchildren Sydney (Salt Lake City, UT), Christian, Soraya and Dane ( Elgin, IL) She also leaves behind her sisters Cathleen (Bob) Nichols, Michele (Bob) McGrain, and Regina (Mike) Cylcewski; her brothers John (Sue) McGinniss, Tom (Deb) McGinniss II and Dan McGinniss.

She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant sister Ann Marie, her sister Ethel Simonson and her sister Theresa McGinniss.

The family would like to express their heartfelt appreciation for her care while at Sherman Hospital and Avondale Estates, both in Elgin, IL. Her Journey Care hospice team went above and beyond providing her excellent care.

Funeral service will be Saturday, November 18, 2023, at 11:00 AM at the APFEL WOLFE FUNERAL HOME, 21 S. Austin Rd, Janesville, WI. Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM Saturday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to your choice of cancer research. Online condolences may be made at www.apfelwolfe.com