Annamarie Rose (Hecker) Kromarek

Annamarie Rose (Hecker) Kromarek was born on April 9, 1930 in Scranton, ND. At age 88, she passed away in Great Falls, MT on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 in her home with her husband and daughter by her side. A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, October 8, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mark's Catholic Church, 128 Castner St, Belt, MT. 

Born to Leonard Hecker and Ida Loran, Annamarie was the youngest of 7 children. Growing up in the midst of the Great Depression, Annamarie began working at the age of 5, picking beans in the field with her sister. As a young girl, she sang in her family’s orchestra, The Hecker Family Band. She recalled many late nights singing at barn dances, as the family performed for the dime’s patrons would leave on the stage. Annamarie graduated from Saint Mary’s High School.

  On January 8, 1949, she married her husband of 69 years, Stanley Kromarek. In the love letters he wrote to her while stationed in Korea, he called her “Stardust.” Together, they had six children Dean (Audrey) Kromarek, Darrel Kromarek, Vince (Connie) Kromarek, Pam (Shawn) McGrath, Theresa (Joe) Niemiec, and Diane Kromarek (Amilio Huston).  They had 18 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Annamarie worked as a switchboard operator in Oregon, before moving to North Dakota with her husband. Annamarie was a Den Mother for her son’s Cub Scout groups, organized bingo nights for Our Lady of Lourdes, and was an extremely talented seamstress.  Her craft room was often overflowing with intricate doll clothes and various scraps of fabric. In 1976, Annamarie and Stanley moved to a small farm just outside of Belt, Montana.

 Grandma and Grandpa’s house was the gathering place for her children and numerous grandchildren. She never tired of putting on family picnics, fishing with the kids, hiding Easter eggs, and making Christmas dinner. She tended her garden with the utmost love, and every summer their home was surrounded by enormous pink peonies and roses. Annamarie spent many years volunteering at the Belt Senior Center and taught children’s catechism classes at St. Mark’s Catholic Church.  She was a devout Catholic and found solace in her Faith in her final days.

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