‘She was always singing’
Margaret ‘Marge’ Nykaza, who founded Harmony, Hope and Healing, used music as therapy for all
Mike Nykaza said he’ll always remember the way his mom, Margaret “Marge” Nykaza, entered a room singing a loud, powerful “hello.”
“She was always singing. It was who she was at her core,” Mike Nykaza said. “When she walked into a space you knew Marge was in the room.”
Margaret Nykaza, of Evergreen Park, the founder of Harmony, Hope and Healing, died Aug. 12 after battling breast cancer. She was 69. In 2000, Margaret Nykaza founded Harmony, Hope and Healing, which offers a space for self-expression, emotional processing and healing for those experiencing homelessness, addiction and isolation, according to her obituary.
“Harmony, Hope and Healing creates a safe environment where vulnerable individuals and families can heal and rebuild through the restorative power of music,” Margaret Nykaza said in a video about the program.
The organization offers music therapy sessions, community performances and workshops for adults, children and teens, along with parent and child classes, according to its website.
“We are not the be-all end-all, but one important little spoke in the wheel to help people realize your voice is important, especially for people who have been silenced in this world, and especially for people who feel they have no voice. No. Your voice in important,” Margaret Nykaza said in the video.
Nykaza was born in Oak Lawn and had four siblings. She received her bachelor’s degree in music education from Eastern Illinois University, according to her obituary.
She went on to marry her high school sweetheart, Edward, on Aug. 16, 1975, at St. Linus Catholic Church in Oak Lawn. The couple had three sons and five grandchildren, according to her obituary.
She was a professional singer and she taught theology and music to students of all ages within the Catholic Archdiocese. Mike Nykaza recalled his mom serving as music director at St. Linus School in Oak Lawn and teaching theology and leading music programs at Mother McAuley