Marilyn B. Heckler

Marilyn Brown Heckler, age 82, of Las Cruces, passed away peacefully Monday, January 16, 2012, in Flower Mound, Texas, where she lived for the past several years. Marilyn was born in Oklahoma City on November 22, 1929, to the late Robert Benjamin Brown and Nora Hodges Brown. She attended the University of Oklahoma. Her father was a junior high principal, and after college Marilyn worked for the Oklahoma City school system with her future mother-in-law, Ruth Dillon Heckler. Ruth introduced Marilyn to her son Robert, and from there Bob and Mare began a 47-year journey together from Oklahoma through Texas and Arizona, then landing in Las Cruces, where they settled down and raised their family. Bob was a banker and Marilyn was a bookkeeper and office manager. They were members of the First Presbyterian Church. Marilyn was called by her proper name by only a few people. To everyone else she was Mrs. Heckler, Mare, Marelein, Maralina, Hon, Mom, Muz, Muzzy, Grandma, G-Ma, Grammypants, and Ya-Ya. Marilyn's joys in life were her family, good friends, and learning new things. Her home was filled with music - playing the piano, listening to the latest songs, and dancing a mean jitterbug. Some of her favorites were The Limelighters, Earl Wrightson, Toby Keith, and Keith Urban. She was an avid reader and loved trips to Branigan library, often with children in tow. She did beautiful needlework and was a wonderful cook. She took almost every continuing education class ever offered, from photography to chair caning to Chinese cooking to belly dancing. She was always welcoming, and was known everywhere for her sense of humor and witty remarks. Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband and partner in life, Robert Devlin Heckler. She is survived by her children: Ed and wife Lela Heckler of El Paso, Jane and husband Fred Schultz of Grapeland, Texas, and Barbara and husband David Daly of Flower Mound, Texas; her grandchildren: Kevin Hirth of Houston, Daralyn and husband David Lopez II of Corpus Christi, Jessica Heckler of Lawton, Oklahoma, Jack Daly of Flower Mound, Texas, Robert Heckler of El Paso, and Kathleen Daly of Normal, Illinois; her great-grandson Reid Hunter of Lawton, Oklahoma; and her sister Luan and husband Frank Boggs of Edmonds, Oklahoma. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 pm Friday, January 27, 2012, at Getz Funeral Home, Las Cruces. Graveside service will be 1:00 pm Saturday, January 28, 2012, at the Masonic Cemetery in Las Cruces. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Literacy Volunteers of Dona Ana County at readwritenow.org. PDF Printable Version