Obituary of Mary E. Fricker
Mary Elizabeth Lewis Fricker was born on October 14, 1932 in Rosiclare, Illinois to B.A. Lewis and Hester Mae Lewis. She went home to be with our Lord on Saturday, January 25, 2025 while in hospice care at Oak Trace Assisted Living where she has lived for the past five years.
Mary is survived by one daughter, Rosalyn Korst (William); one son, Joseph Fricker; six grandchildren, Christine Day (Shawn), Matthew Korst (Christina), Lisa Patel (Kaushal), Nicholas Korst, Christopher Fricker (Emily), and Sara Fricker; ten great-grandchildren, including Zoe, Payton, and McKenzie Day, and James and Norah Korst, and Ryker, Maddox and Greyson Patel, and Fyona and Bjorn Fricker; sister, Sue Vaughn of Rosiclare, Illinois; and sisters-in-law, Linda Smith (Neal) of Paducah, Kentucky, Elaine Fricker of Cave-in-Rock, Illinois, and Irene Lewis of Madison, Wisconsin; along with a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Wiley Fricker, who passed on December 14, 2000; her parents, B.A. and Hester Lewis; one sister, Ruby Cowsert; one brother, Jimmie Allen Lewis; two great-grandchildren, twins Sylas and Sybil Fricker; and grandparents, Charlie and Lillie Lewis, Joe Sheldon, and Ernestine Hardin.
Mary and Wiley, along with many others, bought property in an undeveloped area and built their home. This area became known as the Village of Clarendon Hills (now Darien). Not only were they instrumental in building what would become a new community, but Wiley was also a major builder of the Marion Hills Bible Church, while Mary joined a group of women to start a club known as the Pioneers. The Pioneers worked to promote community, support the local schools through events such as a yearly carnival/fair and to welcome new people to the area.
A visitation was held Friday, January 31, 2025, from 10 a.m. until service time at 12:00 p.m. at Modell Funeral Home in Darien, Illinois. Her final resting place was in
Clarendon Hills Cemetery in Darien, IL. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Published in the February 6, 2025 Hardin County Independent.
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