Emily Rees Wilcox

Emily Rees(Marsh) Wilcox, 101, a 57 year resident of Waukegan, IL, and a 7 year resident at Independent Living in Village of Victory Lakes, Gurnee, died peacefully Tuesday, July 7, 2026.

Rees was born on October 30, 1924, outside of Cynthiana, KY, the 3rd child of Harry Abner Marsh and Laura (Rorer)Marsh. She graduated valedictorian from Buena Vista High school in 1942. She then went to Transylvania College in Lexington, KY, where she earned a BS degree in Chemistry in 1946. At Transy she met Joseph M. Wilcox and married him in 1946 and moved to Oberlin, Ohio. She worked at Harshaw Chemical Company in Loraine, Ohio, during her early years of marriage, supporting her husband through divinity school at Oberlin College. While in Oberlin, Ohio, she gave birth to their first child, Emily, in 1948.

Rees raised three children, moving from Oberlin to Cincinnati, Ohio, Bellaire, Ohio, Parma, Ohio, and finally settling in Waukegan, Illinois in 1962. She was a staff member for several years in a special program for mothers through a federal grant, Aid to Dependent Children or ADC which was sponsored by Northern Illinois University Adult Education. She earned a teaching certificate from National Louis University, Evanston, in 1966 and was a substitute teacher for more than 20 years in the Waukegan Schools.

Rees was an active member of all of the churches that she and Joe served throughout their lives, teaching Sunday school, leading youth camp and women’s groups and taking on social service projects to support people at home and in the wider world. While at First Christian Church in Waukegan she was a leader in the women’s group, the Ruth Circle, and Christian Women’s Fellowship. In the greater community she was part of Church Women United, Women’s Club, League of Women Voters, American Association of University Women(AAUW). After Joe retired from First Christian Church, she directed her attention to Gurnee Community Church, volunteering in their (PADS) program and volunteering at the Waukegan Public Library, where she was a library reader and volunteer.

Rees grew up in a large farm family with 5 sisters and a brother and they stayed close throughout their lives. Family meant everything to her and she loved gathering with all at the annual Marsh Family Reunion in Kentucky, which occurred every year for 41 years!!

Rees is survived by daughter, Emily Wilcox Denesha (Mike), of Wilmette, IL, and Amy Wilcox-Owens (Rick), of Madison, WI, and her son, Joseph D. Wilcox (Jean), of Woodstock, CT, 7 grandchildren, and 16 great grandchildren, and the wife of her brother Jack, Ruby Joyce Marsh.

There will be a family service at Battle Grove Cemetery, in Cynthiana, KY, at a future date, TBD.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to  the Waukegan Public Library, Waukegan, IL, to the Franciscan Care Solutions, Lemont, IL, or the Pension Fund of the Christian Church, Indianapolis, IN.