Maricarmen Wilkerson

Maricarmen Wilkerson ObituaryObituary published on Legacy.com by Hallowell & James Funeral Home - Downers Grove on Feb. 26, 2026.Maricarmen Palos Wilkerson, age 63, of Chicago; beloved wife of Curtis Wilkerson; loving mother of Alexis Nicole and Joseph Devron; dear sister of Tony (Mary); John Charles; the late Bernardo (the late Susan); Jim; Francisco (Inmaculada); Michael (Carolina); Lucia (Albert); and Rosemary; aunt and friend of many.Maricarmen will always be remembered for her self giving. It began with her greeting… a tilt of the head, a smile, and a warm hug. She was happiest when she was serving. She worked as a nanny caring for kids. She served as a care giver for elderly persons. She visited hospitals. Her generosity is all the more striking because she traveled everywhere by public transportation, with all the extra time that is involved in transferring buses and el trains.Maricarmen was the fifth of nine children. For a time she was the only girl surrounded by six brothers, and she learned to fend for herself. She was kind. She was gentle, but she was nobody's fool! Growing up she participated in afterschool programs at the old Lexington Center. She was a huge Elvis fan. She also cheered all the Chicago sports teams, but had a special place in her heart for the Bears: she named her pet dog "Sweetness" in honor of #34.She graduated from Madonna High School and worked for a time at Shellbourne Conference Center in Valparaiso, IN. Back in Chicago Maricarmen went to cosmetology school and worked at a series of high-end salons downtown and in Lincoln Park. She also cut hair for scores of relatives and friends.In 1995 she wed Curtis Wilkerson and soon gave birth to Alexis and Joe. The family lived in the Little Italy area for a time before settling into Brighton Park. Her kids meant the world to her and she would go to any length to see to any need they might have.Maricarmen also served people through her cooking. Her cheesecakes were legendary. She was also the tamale master, leading the way every Christmas Eve when the family gathered to make some 200 tamales. She loved Mexico, where her mother was born and from where her father descended. She happily lived in Monterrey for a year. She constantly stayed in contact with relatives there.Her spirit of service was natural to her and was further cultivated by her Catholic faith and more specifically her calling as a supernumerary member of Opus Dei. She treasured being present for the canonization of Opus Dei's founder, St. Josemaria Escriva, in Rome in 2002. She had a great love for the Virgin Mary and daily prayed her Rosary.A visitation will take place from 3 to 9pm on Friday, February 27 at Hallowell & James Funeral Home, 301 W. 75 th St., Downers Grove. Family and friends will meet at St. Mary of the Angels, 1850 N. Hermitage Ave., Chicago, IL on Saturday, February 28. Visitation at church from 9am until time of the Holy Mass, 10am. Interment St. Mary's Cemetery, Evergreen Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the family can be made to a GoFundMe page that has been established at this link.To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.