Mary Barickman

Mary Barickman 83 of Champaign, Illinois passed away at 9:51 PM Friday, October 18, 2013 at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana.
A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:15 AM on Saturday, November 2, 2013 at St. John’s Catholic Chapel, 604 E. Armory Ave., Champaign with Rev. Tom Royer and Rev. Jim Pankiewicz and Rev. Richard Mullen officiating. Family will greet friends at a luncheon in the Swetland Assembly Room after the service. Burial will be in the Barickman Family Cemetery near Streator, Illinois. Family and friends will meet at Hagi Funeral Home, Streator at 1:30 PM Sunday and proceed to the cemetery for a 2:00 PM graveside service.
Mrs. Barickman was born Mary Margaret Benning on October 17, 1930 in Streator, Illinois, the daughter of John Samuel Benning and Nora Agnes Hollenbeck Benning. Mary spent her childhood in Streator, graduated from Streator Township High School in 1948 and attended Marycrest College Davenport, Iowa.
She married her childhood and high school sweetheart, Bert E. Barickman, on August 20, 1955 in Streator, Illinois. When Bert enrolled at the University of Illinois, the young couple moved to Champaign where they would live the rest of their lives.
In 1960 Mary was appointed to be the personal secretary and assistant to the Monsignor Edward J. Duncan. She served in that capacity for next 45 years helping to see St. John’s Catholic Chapel and Newman Center through busy times and huge changes. Mary was a petite woman with a tremendous amount of energy, and really made things happen at St. John’s. She worked closely with the Newman Club, coordinating student activities, art festivals, dances, socials and volunteer work with students. She was also devoted to many priests and nuns who staffed St. John’s throughout all those years. Mary was, in the words of Father Richard Mullen, “wonderfully supportive and affirming. She made you feel good.”
Along the way Mary acquired a real estate license and won the GRI designation from the National Association of Realtors. She actively sold real estate for 28 years, working at Nicolette Hoggatt and Dawson, ReMax Realty Associates and Karen K. Miller Real Estate. She and Bert also actively invested in and managed residential rental real estate in Champaign for many years, on their own and with Steve and Karen Miller, long-time partners and close family friends.
Mary is survived by a brother, George J. Benning, and three children: Bert J. Barickman of Tucson AZ, Judith M. Barickman (Andrew Roy) of Champaign and Nancy J. Forebaugh (Matt) and one grandson, Daniel J. Forebaugh of Western Springs. Also surviving and three sisters-in-law, Alba Reihl, Theresa Barickman and Julia Donaldson, a brother-in-law, Jack Barickman and many nieces and nephews whom she loved very much. She was preceded in death by her husband and parents.
The family has requested memorials to the TNA Facial Pain Association ( www.fpa-support.org) or the Opening New Doors building fund/St. John’s Chapel.