Obituaries

MARLENE ADELE HECK

Peacefully, after a brief illness due to complications with returning cancer, it is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Marlene Adele Ruth Heck on November 19th, 2024, at St. Boniface Hospital, at the age of 74. Marlene was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and lived here all of her life.

She is survived by her loving and devoted husband Juergen, her son Terry and sister Janice as well as numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. She is pre-deceased by her brother Dirk, her sister Susan, and her parents Fred and Ruth.

Marlene was born September 26th 1950 as a middle child to Fred and Ruth Kaban. She attended school at the Convent of the Sacred Heart from kindergarten to grade 12. While in school she became a member of the glee club and took a keen interest in singing from that point on. After graduating, she took her secretary services courses at Red River where she received her diploma. During this time she also continued on her journey with song by taking classical voice lessons. Much of her life was devoted to this craft while she started on her career path.

She worked in government jobs for the majority of her life. These included the RCMP, Fisheries and Transport Canada among others. It was during the early years of her career that she met the love of her life while singing in the German choir. They were inseparable from the start and married a year later. They were together for 47 years.

She continued to pursue her passion for singing through weddings, events and as the music ministry at St. Gerard Perish with her husband.

She retired from the government at the age of 58 and decided then to go back to school to pursue a new carrier path as a health care aid. Mom did this for a number of years before fully retiring and settling into a life of relaxation and enjoyment where she and Juergen decided that they would snowbird to Texas every winter.

Our family wishes to thank the St. Boniface health care teams in both the ER and ICU departments for their diligence, professionalism and compassion during Marlene’s time within their care.

Funeral services to be held on Friday, November 29th at 1pm at Wojcik’s Funeral Chapel, 1020 Main Street, Winnipeg with Deacon Tom Kennedy presiding over the service. Marlene will be buried at Brookside Cemetery in Winnipeg.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cancer Care Manitoba.