Obituary for Marlene Isabella Orban
Marlene Isabella Orban (nee Fenton) was born October 6th, 1943, at St. Therese Hospital in Tisdale, Saskatchewan. She passed away peacefully on a sunny afternoon in Tisdale, May 10th, 2020 with her husband Albert and three sons Dean, Jason, and Christopher, by her bedside .
Marlene’s life began in rural Saskatchewan. She was the youngest sibling to her parents, Les and Ellen (Nellie, Nanny) Fenton. She had two brothers, Jim and Duff. She is predeceased by her parents and her sister (Joan) who did not survive infancy.
A lover of animals, gardening, outdoor activities, and wildflowers, Marlene was a true “farm girl” at heart. She attended school in Hanover in her early years and spent her high school years at Tisdale Unit Composite School, the same school her three sons attended. In 1961, she graduated high school and attended Robertson’s Secretarial School in Saskatoon. The following year she graduated and in the same year met her husband-to-be, Donald York. After her graduation from Robertson, she took a secretarial position at the Department of Natural Resources in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan. She had been considering a teaching career, applied to the Regina Teacher’s College, and was accepted. After graduating from Teacher’s College, she married Don in the Summer of 1964 and moved to Red Earth. After spending two years teaching, they moved to Saskatoon and in 1967, her first son, Dean Leslie York was born. The following years were filled with family and career progression. On September 22, 1970, Jason Fenton York was born.
After Don received a job offer, the family moved and spent four years in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. In 1974 they moved back to Saskatchewan and Marlene secured a teaching position at Ridgedale. In 1976 they moved to a farm and Marlene was hired to teach kindergarten at the Dag Hammarskjold School in Tisdale. Shortly after, her third son, Christopher James Donald York was born. She taught kindergarten, then grade one, and in 1993 she became the Principal at the Dag. In 1996 she moved over to the Principal position at Tisdale Public School until her retirement in 2003. Her love for teaching continued after her formal retirement as she moved with Albert to the Northwest Territories to teach in the North Slave region.
In 1994, Marlene met her second husband, Albert. They married the following year and the rest, as Marlene said, was history! Albert came with grown children: Dora, Albert (Tammy), and Gabriela (Josh), each of which now have families. She embraced them warmly into her circle of love and throughout the years they shared many treasured memories with Marlene and family.
Time went on. Chris graduated high school and moved to Edmonton. Dean had started a family in Saskatchewan with wife Jackie and had four children, Sarah, Jacob, Hanah and Abby. Marlene was proud to be a grandmother at the age of 42! Jason met his now wife, Tracy, in Alberta and they went on to get married. In 2012, Christopher and his now wife, Jennifer, got married and had four children, Aubrianna, Elaina, Brielle, and Isaac. Together with Albert’s three children: Dora (Amber, Brendan), Albert (Simon, Seth, Sakara, Anya), and Gabriela (Mason, James, Jonah) she was blessed with seventeen grandchildren.
Marlene was a woman of God. Her strength came through her faith and that was apparent up to her final moments. She always put others first and lived to serve those she loved. Marlene was passionate in everything that she did. She was a strong woman, a fiercely loyal friend, and a rock for her family filled with never-ending love. She was a great listener who was passionate about educating youth, an artist who found beauty in nature, loved playing board games and watching sports (anything that channeled her competitive spirit), traveling with her family at every opportunity, and found joy in reading stories to her grandchildren.
Her love for her family and generous nature spilled over into her extensive community involvement. The organizations and activities she invested her time in are too numerous to list, but she leaves a lasting mark on the lives of people in Tisdale and the extended community.
She was loved deeply by many and will be missed greatly. Through our loss this Mother’s Day, heaven has gained an angel. Rest In Peace our sweet Mother, Grandma, Wife, Sister, Auntie, Educator, and Friend.
Due to COVID-19, there will be no formal funeral. The family plans to have a Celebration of Life at a later date.
Donations may be made to the Terry Fox foundation and expressions of sympathy may be sent to Barron’s Funeral Chapel, Tisdale, SK (306) 873-2124. www.barronsfuneralchapel.com
Marlene’s life began in rural Saskatchewan. She was the youngest sibling to her parents, Les and Ellen (Nellie, Nanny) Fenton. She had two brothers, Jim and Duff. She is predeceased by her parents and her sister (Joan) who did not survive infancy.
A lover of animals, gardening, outdoor activities, and wildflowers, Marlene was a true “farm girl” at heart. She attended school in Hanover in her early years and spent her high school years at Tisdale Unit Composite School, the same school her three sons attended. In 1961, she graduated high school and attended Robertson’s Secretarial School in Saskatoon. The following year she graduated and in the same year met her husband-to-be, Donald York. After her graduation from Robertson, she took a secretarial position at the Department of Natural Resources in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan. She had been considering a teaching career, applied to the Regina Teacher’s College, and was accepted. After graduating from Teacher’s College, she married Don in the Summer of 1964 and moved to Red Earth. After spending two years teaching, they moved to Saskatoon and in 1967, her first son, Dean Leslie York was born. The following years were filled with family and career progression. On September 22, 1970, Jason Fenton York was born.
After Don received a job offer, the family moved and spent four years in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. In 1974 they moved back to Saskatchewan and Marlene secured a teaching position at Ridgedale. In 1976 they moved to a farm and Marlene was hired to teach kindergarten at the Dag Hammarskjold School in Tisdale. Shortly after, her third son, Christopher James Donald York was born. She taught kindergarten, then grade one, and in 1993 she became the Principal at the Dag. In 1996 she moved over to the Principal position at Tisdale Public School until her retirement in 2003. Her love for teaching continued after her formal retirement as she moved with Albert to the Northwest Territories to teach in the North Slave region.
In 1994, Marlene met her second husband, Albert. They married the following year and the rest, as Marlene said, was history! Albert came with grown children: Dora, Albert (Tammy), and Gabriela (Josh), each of which now have families. She embraced them warmly into her circle of love and throughout the years they shared many treasured memories with Marlene and family.
Time went on. Chris graduated high school and moved to Edmonton. Dean had started a family in Saskatchewan with wife Jackie and had four children, Sarah, Jacob, Hanah and Abby. Marlene was proud to be a grandmother at the age of 42! Jason met his now wife, Tracy, in Alberta and they went on to get married. In 2012, Christopher and his now wife, Jennifer, got married and had four children, Aubrianna, Elaina, Brielle, and Isaac. Together with Albert’s three children: Dora (Amber, Brendan), Albert (Simon, Seth, Sakara, Anya), and Gabriela (Mason, James, Jonah) she was blessed with seventeen grandchildren.
Marlene was a woman of God. Her strength came through her faith and that was apparent up to her final moments. She always put others first and lived to serve those she loved. Marlene was passionate in everything that she did. She was a strong woman, a fiercely loyal friend, and a rock for her family filled with never-ending love. She was a great listener who was passionate about educating youth, an artist who found beauty in nature, loved playing board games and watching sports (anything that channeled her competitive spirit), traveling with her family at every opportunity, and found joy in reading stories to her grandchildren.
Her love for her family and generous nature spilled over into her extensive community involvement. The organizations and activities she invested her time in are too numerous to list, but she leaves a lasting mark on the lives of people in Tisdale and the extended community.
She was loved deeply by many and will be missed greatly. Through our loss this Mother’s Day, heaven has gained an angel. Rest In Peace our sweet Mother, Grandma, Wife, Sister, Auntie, Educator, and Friend.
Due to COVID-19, there will be no formal funeral. The family plans to have a Celebration of Life at a later date.
Donations may be made to the Terry Fox foundation and expressions of sympathy may be sent to Barron’s Funeral Chapel, Tisdale, SK (306) 873-2124. www.barronsfuneralchapel.com