February 9, 1946 - June 8, 2017

 

Marcia O'Konek
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A Celebration of Life will be at 12PM on Saturday, June 17, 2017 at the Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in St. Cloud for Marcia O’Konek, age 71 of St. Cloud who died Wednesday at Quiet Oaks Hospice House in St. Augusta from a life fully lived. Private family interment will be at Assumption Cemetery in St. Cloud. Friends and family may call from 10:30AM - 12PM on Saturday at the funeral home in St. Cloud.

Marcia O’Konek was born in St. Cloud to Raymond and Florence (Marshall) Karls. She married her best friend, LeRoy O’Konek on May 27, 1972 at St. Anthony Catholic Church in St. Cloud. She lived in St. Augusta until 1993, and has lived in St. Cloud since. Marcia graduated from Cathedral High School in 1964; from Chas. T. Miller Hospital in St. Paul as an L.P.N in 1965; and from the Miller Hospital Surgical Program in 1967. She returned to school receiving her Diploma in Nursing from the St. Cloud Hospital School of Nursing in 1973, and her Bachelor of Science degree, cum laude, from the College of St. Benedict in 1995. She worked at Miller Hospital from 1965 until 1968, and the St. Cloud Hospital from 1968 until June 2001 as an Operating Room staff nurse, Perioperative Educator for five departments and Coordinator of Processing. Marcia assisted in starting the first neurosurgery program at St. Cloud Hospital, and the first Operating Room Computer system. She was a member of the National Institutes of Central Processing Technicians, member of Sigma Theta Tau International, Kappa Phi Chapter, and the Association of Peri-Operative Room Nurses. Marcia was Nationally Certified in Operating Room Nursing. She volunteered for Lifeline, the regional organ procurement agency. She received a kidney transplant in 1987. Marcia was always grateful to the donor family, which even in their tragic time, donated their loved one’s organs to help so she was able to live and she constantly prayed for their happiness. She loved helping patients learn more about their conditions and how to improve their quality of life. Marcia enjoyed providing opportunities for staff personnel to improve the quality of care they provided. She raised, encouraged and helped her children with their activities, education and life in general. Marcia took her children on several vacations to different locals in the continental U.S. and Hawaii. She also traveled to Alaska and Jamaica. Marcia also loved to embroider, crochet, cross-stitch, read and play with her grandchildren.

Survivors include her son and daughter, Donald L. O’Konek (Jennifer) of Rogers, MN, Judith M. (Loveland) O’Konek of St. Cloud, MN, and the following grandchildren; Evan, Kaden, and Addison O’Konek, and Dane (Loveland) O’Konek. Surviving brothers and sisters; Ronald (Barb) Karls of Portland, OR, Karen (Terry) Conradt of Brainerd, MN, Jerry (Mary) Karls of Scottsdale, AZ and Robert Karls (Bonnie Girard) of St. Paul, MN; many nieces and nephews and her former son-in-law, Aaron Loveland. Survivors also include the friends that helped her survive the hard times in her life, when LeRoy was sick and dying and through her many surgeries .

She was preceded in death by her parents and the love of her life, her husband, LeRoy, in 1983.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Quiet Oaks Hospice House, 5537 Galaxy Road, St. Augusta, MN 56301-9272.

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