After a long life as a loving teacher, wife, mother and grandmother, Marlys Kay Vorbeck, 86, quietly passed away at her home in Napa, CA on September 30, 2025.
Education and family were the two things that Marlys treasured the most and she spent her entire life dedicated to both. She grew up in San Diego with her parents, Warren and Esther Heathman, and her sister Cheryl and brother Ron. After graduating with her teaching credential from San Diego State, her teaching career began in the San Diego School District as a Home Economics teacher where she taught middle school for 2 1/2 years. During this time, she married Donald Vorbeck and immediately started a family of her own. While she loved being a teacher, she decided to put her career on hold so that she could dedicate her time to her three children. In 1972, she and her family moved to Napa, CA and she became extremely involved in her children's activities. She helped in their classrooms, at Girl Scouts, swimming, 4-H and so many other projects. As her children grew, she realized that she wanted to get back into teaching but with a different focus, so the went back to school to get another teaching degree in Special Education. Marlys worked as a substitute teacher for 12 years prior to obtaining this credential and then worked full time at Redwood Middle School as a Resource Specialist for another 18 years. She truly enjoyed seeing all kids excel and was quite proud of their achievements.
Marlys was creatively talented and had many hobbies which included sewing, cooking, and gardening. She also had an interest in investments and joined a local club for education and camaraderie. She loved all holidays, especially Christmas and made sure that her children and later, grandchildren, had a house filled with decorations, food, games, and hugs.
Marlys is survived by her three children: David Vorbeck, Darice Spinelli (Mike), and Douglas Vorbeck: her five grandchildren: Devin, Daniel, Mitchell, Austin and Kaeva: her brother: Ronald Heathman: and her niece: Amber Plumb (Frank).
May you and your sister reunite in heaven for endless laughs! We will all miss you!
Education and family were the two things that Marlys treasured the most and she spent her entire life dedicated to both. She grew up in San Diego with her parents, Warren and Esther Heathman, and her sister Cheryl and brother Ron. After graduating with her teaching credential from San Diego State, her teaching career began in the San Diego School District as a Home Economics teacher where she taught middle school for 2 1/2 years. During this time, she married Donald Vorbeck and immediately started a family of her own. While she loved being a teacher, she decided to put her career on hold so that she could dedicate her time to her three children. In 1972, she and her family moved to Napa, CA and she became extremely involved in her children's activities. She helped in their classrooms, at Girl Scouts, swimming, 4-H and so many other projects. As her children grew, she realized that she wanted to get back into teaching but with a different focus, so the went back to school to get another teaching degree in Special Education. Marlys worked as a substitute teacher for 12 years prior to obtaining this credential and then worked full time at Redwood Middle School as a Resource Specialist for another 18 years. She truly enjoyed seeing all kids excel and was quite proud of their achievements.
Marlys was creatively talented and had many hobbies which included sewing, cooking, and gardening. She also had an interest in investments and joined a local club for education and camaraderie. She loved all holidays, especially Christmas and made sure that her children and later, grandchildren, had a house filled with decorations, food, games, and hugs.
Marlys is survived by her three children: David Vorbeck, Darice Spinelli (Mike), and Douglas Vorbeck: her five grandchildren: Devin, Daniel, Mitchell, Austin and Kaeva: her brother: Ronald Heathman: and her niece: Amber Plumb (Frank).
May you and your sister reunite in heaven for endless laughs! We will all miss you!
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