Marlene Joy (Nee Hikichi

Hikichi, Marlene Joy (Nee: Albrecht): March 6, 1938 - September 8, 2025 Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, Marlene passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on September 8, 2025 at the age of 87 years. Deeply loved, she will be profoundly missed by all. Marlene will be lovingly remembered by her husband Mitsuru (Mits) of 57 years; children: Kim (Lindsay) and Lori (Jana); grandchildren: Meya, Noah, Kai and Taya; brother Keith (Tharon), sister Karen, brother Bryce (Darlene), brother Barry (Bernice) and numerous other relatives and friends. She was predeceased by brother Darryl, sister Donna, sister Brenda and her parents Ed and Alice. Marlene was born in the small town of Ryley, Alberta, the first of eight children in her family. She studied nursing at the Royal Alexander Hospital in Edmonton and was a well-respected, talented OR nurse who served the Penticton community for many years. Mits and Marlene settled in Trout Creek in the late 1960's and amazingly, built their warm and welcoming family home in their free time from work. Marlene's beautiful flower beds and fruitful vegetable garden demonstrated her love and passion for gardening and she shared her knowledge with others as a long-time volunteer at the Summerland Ornamental Gardens. Marlene was also a valuable member of the South Okanagan Naturalists' club for many years and enjoyed birding and adventuring in nature. She and Mits instilled the love of nature and adventure in their kids and grandkids, sharing with them some of their favourite places on earth, the Cathedral Lakes and Wells Gray Park. Marlene was always the first to lend a helping hand to neighbours and often gifted people with loaves of her delicious bread or vegetables from her garden. Her family fondly remembers meals around the kitchen table, especially chicken and rice, and her grandchildren loved that Marlene spent time playing games and doing puzzles with them, always with a promise of a root beer float or a homemade cookie. Marlene was a very special person who was a blessing to all who knew her. A small gathering to celebrate Marlene's life will be held at the Hikichi home on Monday, September 29 at 2:00pm. Memorial donations may be made in Marlene Hikichi's name to the Penticton Regional Hospital through the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation, 550 Carmi Avenue, Penticton, B.C. V2A 3G6. The family wishes to send a special thank you to the staff at the Penticton Regional Hospital as well as to the many others that helped with Marlene's care in recent months. Marlene wished to share this excerpt from the poem, "An Irish Blessing", upon her passing. May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand.