Theresa Marx, 97, Dickinson, died Sunday, September 15, 2013 at the St. Luke’s Home, Dickinson. Theresa’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, September 19, 2013 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, with Fr. Kregg Hochhalter as the celebrant. Interment will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Dickinson. Visitation will be on Wednesday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson. There will be a rosary & vigil at 7 p.m., Wednesday with Deacon Bob Stockert presiding.
Theresa Hecker was born January 27, 1916 to Liberatus and Anna Marie (Fuller) Hecker in Dickinson. She was raised in the Fairfield area and attended St. Joseph’s grade school in Dickinson and a country school.
Over the years she held lots of different jobs including candy maker, ballroom checker, drugstore clerk, and at the Lockheed Aircraft in California as one of the “Rosie The Riveters”. Theresa loved cooking and was a cook for St. Mary’s College as well as several other schools, she was Roughrider Hotel’s Head Cook, she also prepared meals for residents at Villard Terrace/Elder Care, over the years she was requested to cook at all different community events. She volunteered at the Thrift Store and Salvation Army until she was 85. Even with all of those jobs she would tell you her most important job was being a wife, mother, and grandmother.
While living in California, she met the love of her life, Leonard, she said she was a sucker for a man in uniform. They were married November 17, 1942 in Huntington Park, Calif. After Leonard was honorably discharged from the Army in 1945 they moved to Belfield area and eventually moved to Theresa’s family farm near Fairfield, N.D. To this union they had nine wonderful children. She always said she did her share for National Defense. They were happily married for 65 years.
Theresa was active in the American Legion, St. Anne’s Altar Society, Homemaker Club, Germans from Russia, and TOPS. She was extremely giving and her door was always open to those in need.
Theresa is survived by Keath (Maggie) Marx, Blacksburg, Va., David (Marilyn) Marx, Dickinson, Kent (Linda) Marx, Dickinson, Peter (Mary) Marx, Palm Bay, Fla., Patty (Ed) Decker, Dickinson, Patrick (Char Jaeger) Marx, Dickinson, and Allan (Lori) Marx, Fairfield; 24 grandchildren; 28 great grandchildren; and seven siblings, Margaret Reynolds, Lorraine Habinger, Cecelia Stroh, Sr. Mary Hecker, George (Mia) Hecker, Frank Hecker, and Albert (Eva) Hecker. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Leonard on April 4, 2008; son Dennis; daughter Janice; four grandchildren; numerous sisters and brothers; and in-laws.
