Megan Kicinski

Megan L. Rifley Anton Kicinski of Pekin, IL, died Sunday, June 25, 2023, at 10:02 PM in Peoria, IL. She was born August 1, 1973, in Peoria, the daughter of Ronald C. Rifley and Kasandra (Sandy) Humberd Rifley. Ronald died when Megan was 14 months old. She was later adopted after Sandy remarried Phillip Anton.

Megan was a 1991 graduate of Richwoods High School in Peoria. She married Jason Kicinski in 1994. Megan was known for her smile and ability always to have a good time. Many friends referred to her as being her authentic self - there were no pretenses and, sometimes, no filter. Megan was unapologetically Megan.

She worked various jobs until she started her own residential cleaning business, which she operated until her health declined. Megan LIVED with cancer - her fierce independence and strong will helped her live 11 years with metastatic cervical cancer.

Most of all, she loved her family and pets. Her daughter (Alexis Kicinski Smith) was referred to as her "squirrel." Her grandson, Mason Mullins, has always been her "grandma ."Twin granddaughters, Avery and Emma Smith were lovingly called her "acorns."

An outdoors lover, she was passionate about morel mushroom hunting and founded the trendy Facebook page Central Illinois Morel Hunters. This foraging skill was also found in her ability to thrift store shop and find treasures to use and re-purpose. Megan's love of nature evolved into Paganism beliefs which brought her direction and belonging.

Megan was preceded in death by her grandparents and her father (Ronald Rifley). Her mother and adoptive father survive her, her daughter Alexis (Shaun) Smith, her three grandchildren, her brother Brian (Jennifer) Anton, one nephew (Hunter Anton), one niece (Emily Anton), and a loving extended family.

Cremation will be accorded by Affordable Cremation Services of Central Illinois, Peoria. A memorial service is to be scheduled for a later date. She will be interred at Lakeview Cemetery, Pekin, next to her dad. The family requests no flowers - that memorial funds be directed to cover her final expenses at the Venmo account: @ Kasandra-Anton. Megan asked that her life's struggles benefit others - please get your cancer screenings and consider the HPV vaccine to avoid the cancers from which she died.

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