Marlene Hilma Hebb was born November 6, 1957 in Greeley, Colorado to Rev. Richard and Myrene Bunge, and she died February 14, 2021 in Saint Joseph, Missouri.
Marlene grew up in Colorado and moved with her family to Kansas City, Missouri when she was in junior high. She was confirmed at Ruskin Heights Lutheran Church (Ruskin Heights, Missouri), where her father was a pastor, and she graduated from Ruskin High School. During her high school years, she was a member of the Kansas City Cowgirls. She also played clarinet in the band and sang in various choirs.
She attended Dana College in Blair, Nebraska and later earned a master’s degree in Art Education from the University of Missouri. She taught art in Missouri public schools for many years. When she moved to Saint Joseph, Missouri in 2000, she taught art at Neely Elementary School and later explored diverse career opportunities while meeting people from various walks of life. She was also an active member of First Lutheran Church.
Throughout her life she was a free spirit, loved music, and showed compassion to all those she met. She enjoyed attending live concerts on Felix Square and other community events, going to Bunge and Larson reunions, saying daily prayers with her mother, caring for her horses and pets, exploring new places, and spending time with her two daughters.
enjoyed
She is preceded in death by her father, Rev. Richard Bunge.
She is survived by her mother, Myrene Harriet Bunge (maiden name Larson); her three siblings, Marcia J. Bunge, John E. Bunge, and James R. Bunge; her two children, Marissa Jones and Deidra Hebb; and her son-in-law, Alex Burns.
There will be an online memorial service via Zoom on Saturday, February 27 at 11:00 A.M. hosted by First Lutheran Church in Saint Joseph, Missouri. Please look for information about the Zoom link for the memorial service on Marlene Hebb’s Facebook page or the webpage of First Lutheran Church (flcsj.org)
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests sending donations to the following organizations in Saint Joseph, Missouri: The Crossing, the Animal Shelter, or First Lutheran Church.