Marilyn "Marnie " Fackler's Obituary
It is with bittersweet hearts we announce the homegoing of Marilyn “Marnie” Fackler on February 5, 2025, in Bakersfield, California.
Marilyn Ruth Heaton Fackler was born on February 13, 1931, in Oak Park, Illinois, the daughter of O.B. “Bill” and Elinore Heaton. During high school in Oak Park, she met Bill Fackler, and they began dating. Her family moved to Texas shortly after, and Marilyn, now known to her friends as “Marnie,” graduated from Highland Park High School in Dallas, Texas, in 1948.
Returning to the midwest, Marnie attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, was a member of Delta Delta Delta, and graduated in 1952, all the while maintaining a long-distance relationship with Bill, who was attending the University of Rochester in New York.
Bill and Marnie were married on June 21, 1952, in Dallas and moved to New York City where Bill attended Cornell Medical School and Marnie worked in the Empire State Building as a shoe designer for Andrew Geller.
Upon Bill’s graduation from medical school in 1956 he joined the Navy, and Bill and Marnie spent three years at Great Lakes Naval Training Center north of Chicago while he did his medical internship at the Naval Hospital. During this time, Marnie held down the fort with a toddler and infant as their first two children, David and Katie, were born.
In 1959, Bill and Marnie moved to Richardson, Texas, and their third child, Bob, was born. Bill set up his pediatric practice in Richardson and for the next 40-some years Marnie served in the pediatric office as office manager, bookkeeper, receptionist and chief cook and bottle washer.
In the early years in Richardson, they were involved with Community Theater and the church choir, and they became part of a bridge club of six couples who continued their friendships for many decades.
In the late sixties, Bill and Marnie became involved with youth ministry through Young Life, and saw dozens of high school students participate in Bible studies, ski trips to Colorado, and fun days at their second home on Cedar Creek Lake in east Texas. She was famous for her giant pots of “chili spaghetti” that she cooked up for big crowds at the lake.
The family made lots of road trips through the years–camping in New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas and visiting relatives. She was great at keeping the kids occupied in the car singing songs and playing games. They found nearly all 50 states on one trip playing the License Plate Game.
With Bill’s retirement in the early 2000s, they moved permanently to Cedar Creek Lake and became a fixture in the lake community. They were active at Cedar Creek Bible Church, and she was a great support to Bill in his activities with the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Marnie was known for her hospitality, whether hosting the Young Life leaders for dinner every week or feeding an army at the lake. She could often be seen knitting beautiful ski sweaters, playing the piano, and reading.
From about two years after Bill passed away in 2017, Marnie spent most of her time with her daughter, Katie Whyte, in Bakersfield, California, while maintaining her address at the lake as her legal residence. She transitioned into the arms of Jesus peacefully on February 5, 2025, eight days short of her 94th birthday, after several years of suffering decline from Alzheimer’s.
Marnie was preceded in death by her parents, Orland Bentley “Bill” Heaton and Elinore Lucille MacLennan Heaton, her husband of 65 years, William Rush “Bill” Fackler, and her brother, William Richard Heaton, Sr. She is survived by her children, David William “Dave” (Kelle) Fackler, Kathryn Anne “Katie” Fackler (Mark) Whyte, and Robert Jonathan “Bob” (Carolyn) Fackler, ten grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 28th at 11:00 am at Cedar Creek Bible Church 700 N. Seven Points (also known as Hwy 274) in Tool, Texas 75143. A reception at the church well be held immediately following the service. No flowers please.
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