Obituary of Marianne Ingeborg Waldner

May 15, 1938 - Nürtingen, Germany

June 14, 2024 - Calgary, Alberta

Marianne Waldner of High River, AB, went home to be with her Lord on Friday, June 14, 2024, after a four-year journey with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

She will be dearly missed by her daughter Monica Deardoff (nee Stoll) (Shannon), and son Brent (Gail) Stoll, her five grandchildren, Dion VanSprang (Amanda), Justina Neumann (nee Deardoff) (David), Logan, Marijke, and Caleb Stoll; and two great-grandchildren, Cole and Olivia VanSprang, whom she dearly loved and cherished. 

The middle child of eight children, she is also survived by her two youngest brothers, Alfred (Inge) Waldner and Ewald (Christine) Waldner; and her cousin Gerlinde Koban. She was predeceased by her parents, Ernst and Elise Waldner, and her siblings, Rolf (Angela) Waldner, Elizabeth Schween (nee Waldner) (Henry), and Waltraud Egner (nee Waldner) (Roland).

Marianne was born in Nürtingen, Germany. At the age of seventeen, she arrived in Halifax. From there, she travelled by taxi to Montreal with $5.00 and a train ticket. Once she made it to Montreal, she bought a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread and boarded the train to Calgary, AB, where she went to live with her sister Elizabeth and her husband, Henry. In 1958, Marianne met her first husband, Peter Stoll, and a year later they were married. Together they had two children, Monica and Brent.

Marianne was a devoted mother to Monica and Brent, returning to school to better her education to support and raise them. She took an interest in hiking and cross-country skiing as a way to expand the world for her children, engaging with and treating them to many adventures and new friendships. 

Marianne’s devotion carried on to the next generation with her five grandchildren. Her warm spirit and sometimes mischievous humour also created friendships with her grandchildren, whom she loved to spend time with. She spent countless hours taking them on trips to Germany and Hawaii, playing Scrabble and board games, helping them with homework, attending dance recitals, camping and hiking, and discussing her favourite reads.

Marianne loved to learn and specialized in math, graduating from the University of Calgary in 1967 with a Bachelor's Degree in Education. She started her teaching career in Joussard, AB, and moved to Calgary the following year where she taught grades ten to twelve math, as well as German, with the Calgary School Board. After nineteen years of teaching in Alberta, she moved to BC where she taught math at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo until her retirement. It was through her career that she made many meaningful connections with her students, as well as lasting friendships. Her love of learning never waned, and she continued to tutor students privately and volunteered to teach computer skills to adults and seniors in her community. 

Marianne cherished her friendships and many of hers proved to be lifelong friends. At the time of her passing, the friendships she had forged in childhood and throughout her life remained. At 82 years of age, she created a Facebook group called Osteosisters, where she connected with and made many friends throughout the world, all struggling with osteoporosis. Her friends were a key part of her happiness and comfort in life. She will forever be known for enjoying quality time with her friends both near and far, and in turn, being a faithful and kind friend.

Marianne was a strong Lutheran and continually served her Lord and community through her involvement in her church in Parksville, BC. She served as treasurer, helped with VBS, and attended many bible studies. During moments of doubt, she always searched for answers to her questions and found her way back with renewed faith and courage.

Marianne had a full life, and she was most proud of becoming a Canadian citizen, graduating from university, travelling with her high school students to France, and helicoptering to hike on Mount Assiniboine. She loved to be in her garden, which was a love that she passed on to both her children. She was an avid reader and practiced yoga late into her life. She loved to travel and visited Vienna, Austria, France, Russia, Hawaii, and Mexico, along with many enjoyable trips back home to Germany to visit her family. Her favourite country was Austria, and one of her most cherished experiences was seeing The Sound of Music on Broadway.

She will be most remembered for her relationships with family and friends; her strength and perseverance; and most importantly her love for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 

A Celebration of Marianne’s Life will be held next summer on Mount Assiniboine. If you would like to participate, please email Monica and Brent at: celebrate-marianne@shaw.ca. 

If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to PSP Awareness, 5209 Suncrest Rd, Burlington, ON, L7L 3W9, website: https://pspawareness.com/pages/donate.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Marianne’s family here.

In living memory of Marianne Waldner, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, AB T2X 3J3, Telephone: 403-256-9575.