Margy Wilkinson, Presente

Dear Friends,

It is with a heavy heart we share with you that Margy Wilkinson, our beloved colleague and friend, passed away in her sleep on Saturday, June 27 at her home in South Berkeley.

Margy grew up in South Berkeley/North Oakland and was a labor activist while working at Cal. She was a mom and grandmother, community activist, and profound friend. She fought for the rights of working people her entire life and together with her husband Tony (of 50 years) became powerful role models of love, life, and the highest potential of what people can be. The home she shared with Tony has always been and continues to be a hub for organizing in South Berkeley. Their home became a second home to many people in need of a meal, a home, an ally or friend.

Margy didn’t ask for permission to speak the truth. She organized every single day—on the phone, on the computer, at the dinner table, at meetings, etc. But she was not seeking to be a leader or a martyr. She simply saw and did not tolerate injustice; and together with Tony she built community to fight for justice in South Berkeley and beyond. She was particularly passionate about fighting the racism and displacement so implicit to the gentrification of South Berkeley.

Margy was someone you could count on. She loved to cook for guests and feed people. She and Tony took in people who needed a home and If she heard about a need in the community, she reached out to the right people and made sure the need was met. She was trusted for her fearlessness, her clear thinking, and because she was extremely loving. She accepted people where they were at, while at the same time supporting them to evolve in whichever direction they wanted to grow.

We are devastated and it is hard to know how to be or what to do in a world without Margy. She was our rock. The one thing we know to do is to fight—against greed and racism—and to hold elected officials accountable. We will never stop fighting for all the things she believed in.

You can remember Margy by coming to and/or bringing a remembrance to the mural on Ashby at Ellis Street. Flowers and messages are being placed under her image on the mural.

If you have a story about Margy that you think her family would want to have, you can email us the story at friendsofadeline [at] gmail [dot] com. We plan to compile them into a book for her family.

We will keep you abreast of other events or opportunities to remember Margy.

Rest in power Margy Wilkinson.

We love you.