Margaret Kooken

Margaret Kooken Margaret KookenBorn February 29, 1932, in Canton, Ohio, daughter of the late Joseph and Emma (Kovacs) Slivenick, passed away on Thursday, November 14, 2013, at age 81.

Surviving are her cousin, Carol Weber and Carol’s daughter Lyna Arquilla along with many, many dear friends whom Marge worked very hard to stay in touch with and to be active with. She was preceded in death by her aunt, Irene Caldas.

In Marge’s early years she was a teacher in Birmingham, MI, and came to Lansing in 1963 to work at MSU, retiring in 1992 as food service manager of residence halls. Although this was not a “teaching” job, Marge was still a teacher.  She taught and mentored so many of the students.

Those who came into contact with her, and had the privilege of working with or for her learned job and life skills that would stay with them forever.  Many of those students and faculty became Marge’s “family.”

Marge was an avid MSU sports fan and supporter, an avid painter and scrapbooker, enjoyed gardening and cooking and was a member of 2 gourmet clubs for the past 25 years, both of which she started herself.  She enjoyed time with her friends so much
that she would adopt any hobby or craft in order to share time with them.  Marge was well known for being creative and sought to learn new things and then share those new things with others.

Marge volunteered for the American Red Cross, starting just after hurricane Katrina, up until her passing and in her younger years volunteered in the Emergency Room at Sparrow Hospital, in the Gift Shop at Ingham Regional, and was a docent at Potter Park Zoo for 15 years.

A celebration of Marge’s life will be held at a later date.  Those who wish may make memorial contributions, in her memory, to the American Red Cross or the Capitol Area Humane Society or a charity of one’s choice.

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Melinda Wallace
August 14, 2014 at 10:31 am

I’m so sorry to learn about Marge. She was a dear friend of our family in East Lansing for many years. She and our mother, Elizabeth Wallace, became friends while working at MSU in dorm food service. Marge became like another family member to us.

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