Marion Cyrilda Vocht, 80, of Burbank Heights, WA, passed away from this life into the

loving arms of our heavenly Father on May 6th, 2024, in Richland, WA, due to complications

from heart failure.

She was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Joseph and Marie Speeler on August 27th,

1943. After Multiple Sclerosis took her father in 1956 when she was 12, Marion's mother

moved the family out west to Connell in 1957 to start a new life and live with her aunt Betty

Pierret on her wheat ranch. Eventually the family moved to Pasco, where Marion met the

love of her life, Ron Vocht, during a random encounter at the Arctic Circle on Court Street.

She graduated from Pasco High School in 1961 and soon after moved to Miami to help care

for her grandparents. Ron drove across the country in the summer of 1962 to be with her

for three months, living nearby and dating almost every night. Marion began working as a

secretary at a Miami hospital, starting what would be a lifelong career path, working in

support roles at various medical facilities. She eventually returned to Pasco and started

working at Our Lady of Lourdes as a transcriptionist and a secretary for Dr. Orval Patchett

at his eye clinic in Kennewick.

Ron and Marion were married on June 19th, 1965, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Pasco.

They honeymooned in Banff, Alberta, Canada and Yellowstone. Not long after, they built a

beautiful home overlooking the Snake River on Burbank Heights and started a family,

having two wonderful children. Marion worked many years at La Clinica Community Health

Center and Royal Columbian Retirement Inn. She started working at Kennewick General

Hospital (later Trios Health) in 1986 where she remained for the next 32 years as a

Radiology secretary and an administrative assistant. In 1995 she was awarded "Employee

of the Year."

In her free time, Marion loved going on vacations with her family, often to the Oregon coast,

Wallowa Lake, and Reno/Las Vegas. She had a strong passion for cooking and baking. The

family will never forget her amazing Thanksgiving dinners. She collected cooking

magazines, loved going to yard sales, and was fond of watching hummingbirds, squirrels,

and raccoons that passed through the yard. Thoroughly enjoyed watching Fox News every

night followed by hours of "The Golden Girls." She had a very strong compassion for

animals, often taking in abandoned cats in the neighborhood. Marion was a devout

Catholic and attended mass nearly every weekend until age and illness began to take its

toll.

Marion is survived by her husband of almost 59 years, Ron; her daughter Rhonda of Pasco;

and her son Kevin of Normandy Park, WA. She is also survived by her brothers Ray Speeler

of Winter Garden, Florida, and Robert Speeler of Miami. She is preceded in death by her

parents, and brothers Joe and Melvin Speeler.