Marie Wilkinson passed away on August 12, 2010 at the age of 101. She left behind an incomparable legacy that touched upon untold masses in and around the Aurora area. A legacy that spanned decades of advocating tirelessly for children and human rights. And now an era has come to an end.
Marie was the founder of this food pantry and her spirit walks through the building every day. We are sure that her spirit is walking through the halls of her Child Development Center, the Quad County Urban League, and countless other organizations that she had a part in creating. It was that kind of spirit that created the Human Rights Committee, and in 1968 that committee became instrumental in the launching of the first fair housing ordinance in Illinois.
Her lifetime of selflessness has truly made Aurora a better place. Her legacy is handed down to us in the form of life lessons that we will carry with us for decades to come. She will be missed, but hardly forgotten.
“Whatever I do, I never do it alone.
~Marie Wilkinson”
