Obituaries

MARILYN OLIVE MCEACHERN CROOKS
FEBRUARY 2, 1950 – JULY 28, 2026

It is with deep sadness that we share that Marilyn McEachern Crooks passed away peacefully at her home in Winnipeg on July 28, 2026.

Marilyn was born in 1950 in Carman, Manitoba to her parents Mary McEachern (née Innes) and Archibald McEachern. Marilyn grew up on a farm near town with her siblings, Malcolm and Margaret. She had fond memories of her childhood on the farm, surrounded by family, including her two older half siblings Eldon & Jack, their wives and their children (her nieces and nephews) who lived nearby and visited often.

After graduating high school in 1967, Marilyn moved to Winnipeg to attend the University of Manitoba. There she met lifelong friends and Buzz (Lloyd) Crooks, her future husband. Marilyn and Buzz married in September 1969 and welcomed their first child, Stacey, in 1970, followed by Shannon (1973), Whitney (1978), and Robert (1982). While her children were young, Marilyn was a busy mom and active community volunteer. Once Robert was in school, she returned to University and completed a BA in Economics at the University of Manitoba. She followed this by becoming a Certified Management Accountant and later completing an MBA at Athabasca University.

Marilyn went on to have a successful and interesting career. She worked for several non-profits in the 1990s and early 2000s. She particularly enjoyed her time working with arts organizations, including Prairie Theatre Exchange. In the early 2000s she began working for the government of Manitoba as a Manager of Finance and Audit. She officially retired from government in 2017 although she continued working part time for a few years, including a stint as an on-set accountant for a film company,

Marilyn loved her hometown and often spoke fondly of Carman and especially of growing up on the idyllic McEachern farm on the Boyne River. She also grew to love Winnipeg, the place where she raised her family and grew her career. She and Buzz particularly appreciated Winnipeg’s vibrant theatre, music and restaurant scene. They enjoyed attending theatre and festivals in the city and looked forward to heading out to Bird’s Hill Provincial Park for a weekend at the Winnipeg Folk Festival every summer.

Marilyn appreciated a good walk, a good book, and a good meal. She enjoyed travel and she and Buzz spoke fondly of their trips, especially to the maritimes, Vancouver Island and San Francisco. After Buzz passed away in 2015, Marilyn traveled less but she was grateful to make two trips to Scotland, the ‘old sod,’ with her family. Her first trip was with her three daughters in 2024 and she returned in 2025 with her daughter, Stacey, and Stacey’s family. A highlight of that trip was visiting Banff, her grandfather’s place of birth.

Family was the most important thing to Marilyn, and in her later years, she treasured spending time with her children and grandchildren. With her daughter Whitney, she purchased a cottage in Matlock, Manitoba in 2018, down the street from the cottage of her eldest daughter, and son-in-law.. Many happy hours, days and weeks were spent at the lake with children and grandchildren. Marilyn loved the being in the water, watching the variety of birds that visited her backyard, and spending an evening on the porch with family and a nice glass of wine.

Marilyn was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2023. She continued to enjoy visits with family and friends, travel and spending time at some of her favourite places. Her final months were spent in the company of her children and grandchildren. She was able to return home for her final weeks and have a few more good porch visits before the end.

Marilyn is survived by her brother, Malcolm McEachern (Kathy), her children Stacey Crooks (Chris Sale), Shannon Crooks (Tommy Thornton), Whitney Crooks (Ashley Singh) and Robert Crooks, and her grandchildren, Emma Sale, Stella Sale, Lucy Crooks and Esther Crooks. She is also survived by countless nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Prairie Theatre Exchange or The Winnipeg Folk Festival, two places that were near and dear to Marilyn.

An informal, come and go celebration of life will be held in September. Please reach out to her children for more information.