Mass of Christian Burial for Mary Van Hecke, 88, of Minneota, will be at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 16, 2020, at St. Edward Catholic Church in Minneota. Visitation will take place on Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Rehkamp Horvath Funeral Home in Minneota, with a parish prayer service at 4:00 p.m. and a rosary to follow. Visitation will continue Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Funeral Home. Interment will take place following the service at St. Edward Catholic Cemetery in Minneota.
Mary Elizabeth (Stoks) Van Hecke was born on February 1, 1931, in Amiret, MN, to Willem and Madeleine (Tremasseur) Stoks. She was the eighth of eleven children, and the family moved all over southwest Minnesota while she was growing up. Mary attended country school through the eighth grade, then graduated from Minneota High School in 1948. After graduation, Mary worked at the Minneota Bank. On February 14, 1950, Mary was united in marriage to Francis Van Hecke at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Taunton. The couple farmed near Minneota for 43 years, then retired to Minneota in 1993. Mary and Francis enjoyed wintering in Texas after their retirement. Mary enjoyed playing pool and cards, as well as making award-winning blankets. Mary especially enjoyed time spent with family.
Mary died on Monday, January 13, 2020, at Divine Providence Health Center in Ivanhoe, MN. She is survived by her husband Francis of Minneota; sons Robert (Sharon) of Cross Lake, William (Jean) of Chaska, and Edward (Heather) of Norwood Young America; grandchildren Brett (Tammy) Van Hecke, Ryan (Tina) Van Hecke, Brandon (Jodie) Van Hecke, Adam (Laura) St. Aubin, Peter (Rita) St. Aubin, Matthew Van Hecke, Megan (Tony) Hanson, Amanda Van Hecke, Amy Van Hecke, Luke Van Hecke, and Annalee Van Hecke; great-grandchildren Tatum Van Hecke, Lainey Van Hecke, Shelby Van Hecke, Jon Van Hecke, Cameron Hanson, and Carter Hanson; son-in-law Walter St. Aubin; siblings Dorothy Cull, Vincent Stoks, and Lorraine Coquyt-Goblish; and many relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter Patricia St. Aubin, daughter-in-law Marlene Van Hecke, and siblings Margaret Cull, Henry Stoks, Harold Stoks, Frances VanDenBroecke, William “Willie” Stoks, Donald Stoks, and Richard Stoks.
