Obituary - Marie S. Vanek

Marie S. Vanek, 88, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014, at the Greenbluff Terrace Adult Family Home in Colbert, Washington, of natural causes.  

Cremation has taken place, and a memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church with Father Daniel Wathen officiating. Interment will be in the Fort Harrison Veterans Cemetery at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014.  

The family has requested that memorials be made in Marie's name to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, 251 Post St., Ste. 600, San Francisco, CA  94108.  

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements. Please visit Marie's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for her family at http://www.hollandbonine.com.

Marie was born on Jan. 12, 1926, in Straw, Montana, to Alva and Jane (Lefferts) Stevens, the eldest of 14 children. She was raised in Moore, graduating from high school as the valedictorian and only girl in 1943.

Marie relocated to Billings to attend business school for a short time, but cut her schooling short to return to Moore to assist her father in his business.  In 1949, Marie married John Vanek in Lewistown, and the couple lived there for a short time before moving to Choteau, Montana.

They settled in Havre, Montana, in 1963, where John worked for Nault Plumbing while Marie worked hard caring for her family and her home. John retired in 1986, and the couple enjoyed their retirement years traveling, fishing and simply spending time together. John passed away in 2012, and Marie relocated once again to Washington to be near her daughter.

Marie was an excellent seamstress who loved cooking, knitting and reading. Most of what she made was given away to her family, bazaars or to those she felt were in need.  When she was younger, she enjoyed hunting with John. She lost her sight in 2008 due to several strokes, glaucoma and macular degeneration. As a very devout Catholic with a spirit like Mary's, loving and giving, others were always her priority.

Marie was preceded in death by John, her loving husband of 63 years in 2012; son, Michael John in 1986; parents, Alva and Jane Stevens; and siblings, Virginia (Charles) Marvin, Teddy (Glenda), Donny (Wava), Robert (Ada) Stevens, Evelyn (Ted) Rel and Marjorie Lee-Stevens.

She is survived by her daughter Marianne (Dan) Becker of Mead, Washington; grandson, Bryan Klugman of Spokane, Washington; siblings, Alva Stevens  Jr. of Great Falls and Lois Stevens, Diana Stevens, Linda Barthol and Catherine Haworth, all of Moore, Johnny (Joyce) Stevens of Missoula, and Jim (Delores) Stevens of Holliday, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews.