Marilyn Sue Hackethal

1935 - 2022

Marilyn Sue Hackethal
Edwardsville - Marilyn Sue Hackethal was called to Heaven to be with her husband Thomas Raymond Hackethal on Saturday September 10, 2022, just one day before their wedding anniversary. Tom died in 2018 at 87. Marilyn at 86, one month before her 87th birthday. Marilyn was born on October 9, 1935, in Roxana, Illinois, the daughter of the late Virgil Preston Hackethal and Gertie Bell (Shook) Hackethal. She lived a long full life but battled with Dementia her last few years. As much as she knew and loved the medical field, she did not like being a patient in unfamiliar surroundings. Her son, Kevin kept her wishes to stay at her home with everyday total care. A very special thanks to Betty, Gail and Hospice for giving the extra help when we needed it most. She passed peacefully in Her own bed.
Marilyn is survived by a son and only child, Kevin Raymond Hackethal and his wife Sheryl, step-grandchildren Brandon James and Bryan Dale Stewart, and Grandson Thomas Preston Hackethal; also her lifelong friend (like a sister) Norma Metheny, and many other relatives and friends. Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by three brothers, Franklin Shook, Gerald Dean Shook, and Bobby Lee Shook; and her sister, Evelyn Lewis of Hartford, Illinois, who just passed away a few months prior.
Marilyn grew up in Hartford, Illinois. She was faith driven and also believed in higher education. After graduating from East Alton-Wood River High School in 1953, she went on to Alton Memorial Hospital School of Nursing graduating in 1956, SIU of Alton becoming SIUE of Edwardsville graduating in 1960, received her Masters in Medical-Surgical Nursing at Washington University in 1965. She was Director of Nursing at Alton State Hospital, she then went on to teach at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, Illinois. She was Director of Nursing and had been the Professor of Nursing at LCCC for 20 years. Still Her name is heard in the halls of L&C. Each Spring, Lewis and Clark Community College celebrates students with honors including the "Marilyn Hackethal Superior Academic Excellence Award" which is given to the most academically strong. After retirement she still never seemed to slow down. She volunteered at the Oasis Women's Center in Alton for many years, active member of First Baptist Church in Hartford, Illinois, member of the First Baptist Church in Edwardsville, Illinois where she also belonged to the Women's Bible Study. She also enjoyed being the Queen Bee of the Red Hat Society before losing her husband. After the loss, the beginning stages of dementia were evident and she spent her remaining years watching her favorite classic programs like Matlock, Monk, Diagnosis Murder, Bonanza and her favorite classic western - Gunsmoke. As dementia went into the last stages, she never lost her love for chocolate or forgot her lifelong friend Norma who they lovingly called each other "Ace". They created their nicknames from Marilyn's loud ACE alarm clock they used to wake each other for class. Time has stopped for Marilyn... but she will never be forgotten.
Visitation will be from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Thursday, September 15, 2022 at Weber & Rodney Funeral Home. Services will be at 9:30 am on Friday, September 16, 2022 at the same Funeral Home with Rev. Ken Barnhart officiating. Interment will follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Bethalto, Illinois. Condolences may be expressed online at weberfuneralhome.com