Marion Lucy Valvo Heaney, age 94, peacefully passed away on September 19th, 2012, after a short illness.
Born December 19th, 1917, in Forestville, NY, Marion grew up the oldest daughter of seven children (siblings Carl, Mary, Henry, Anthony, Rose, and Burt). She graduated from Fredonia State Teachers College, eventually obtaining a Master's degree. She pursued a career in education, and her first teaching position was in a one-room school-house near Forestville. Her teaching career took her to Greenport, NY, where she taught 2nd and 3rd grade for 25 years, and eventually retired after teaching in NY for over 30 years. While in Greenport, she met and married William F. "Bill" Heaney(deceased). Marion and Bill were married at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Forestville in 1952. They raised four children, Gayle Bealer, Kevin Heaney, Sheilah O'Heaney-Debbs, and Brion Heaney. Bill and Marion retired to Texas, then to Florida and then Marion returned to Texas, residing in Rusk at the time of her passing.
She is survived by her siblings, Henry Valvo and Rose Benson; all four of her children, her sons-in-law Ted Debbs and Bill Bealer, daughter-in-law Theresa Heaney, her 12 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, her in-laws John and Helen Heaney, Bernard and Marie Heaney, and Vicki Heaney, numerous loving nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, and great-grand-nieces and -nephews, as well as untold numbers of past students.
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Marion L.
Valvo Heaney
Marion was an inspiration to all of us. Though small in stature, Marion Valvo Heaney was the personification of love, strong will, and determination (being a 35-year cancer survivor). We will miss you greatly.
For those who wish to send flowers, the family asks instead that donations be made to the Marion Valvo Heaney Memorial Scholarship Fund (P.O. Box 117, Rusk, TX 75785) or St. Jude Research Center (www.stjude.org).
