Margaret June McKenzie

Margaret June (Peg) McKenzie passed peacefully from this world at her home in Glen Ellyn, Illinois on September 23, 2025, after an extended illness. Friends and family had been steadily at her side for months, exchanging stories and words of comfort and encouragement.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Melba McKenzie of Springfield, Illinois. She is survived by her two children, Joel Lamplough Jr., (Bridget D'Escoto, partner) and Michael Lamplough (Jennifer, former spouse), their father, Joel Lamplough, Sr.(Laura, spouse); grandchildren Joshua, Jacob, Jessica, and Ike Lamplough; her sister Bonnie McKenzie, her brother Bill McKenzie (Lori, spouse), her nephew Jim Harris (Lisa, spouse) and nieces Abby Mooney (Peter, spouse) Emma Frederick, Alaina Richards (Michael, spouse), and Madalyn McKenzie (Connor Cunningham, partner), plus several grandnieces and nephews, and great-grand nieces and nephews.

Margaret was born on October 24, 1940, and grew up in Springfield, Illinois where she graduated from Springfield High School. She developed a keen interest in literature, poetry, philosophy, psychology, music and art very early on in young adult life and this led her to pursue paths in her dual passions: counseling and Buddhist practice.

Throughout the 70s and 80s she had various positions in social work, dealing with at-risk populations including those with substance abuse problems, domestic violence, and elder care challenges. She graduated from Aurora University with an MSW in Social Work in 1990 and became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).

Margaret was most recently a Therapist at Mindful Momentum Counseling in Wheaton, Illinois where she saw a variety of patients dealing with the impact of trauma and chronic illnesses and facilitated groups for those performing caregiving and needing additional support. She also worked at Samaritan Interfaith Counseling, and Central DuPage Hospital where she supervised interns and did mental health assessments at the hospital ER. All told she had more than a 50-year career in social service, counseling, teaching and supervision.

Margaret's other passion was Buddhist meditation, teaching and engagement through her Zen community. She was the Senior Dharma Teacher at the Kwan Um School of Zen for years, and the Senior Director of the Ten Directions local group in the western suburbs of the Chicago area. She was an active participant and leader in the Zen community up until the end of her earthly sojourn and gained wisdom, strength and courage from her connections in her group - the Zen community was her rock. One of Margaret's most notable accomplishments was a 100 Day personal retreat (hermitage) at a central Wisconsin retreat center, an experience she later wrote about for Primary Point Magazine. She was always interested in extending herself beyond the usual boundaries and limits to gain experiences that would benefit those to whom she was in service.

In addition to her Zen community, Margaret maintained a five decade long cherished friendship with a group she simply referred to as "The Ladies". They were a lifelong, supportive sisterhood in every sense of the word - Ginger Blackwell, Pat Lambert, Pam Lowrie and Jane Wine.

Margaret (Peg) will be greatly missed by her dear family and friends alike. She leaves a legacy of joy, curiosity, provocative thought, lively conversation and authentic compassion for her fellow travelers. Her attitude can be summed up in the words of Vietnamese Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh, "You would not cry if you knew that by looking deeply into the rain you would still see the cloud." Margaret would want us to remember that death is not an end, but a veil between us and another form of life.

A Celebration of Life will be held on October 18, 2025, at The Raintree Condominium Clubhouse, 490 Raintree Dr., Glen Ellyn, Il 60134. 10:00 - 11:00 will be a family and friends meet and greet followed by a service/celebration at 11:00am - then reception. Donations may be made to the Morton Arboretum, or to Kwan Um School of Zen in Margaret's name.