Marcinko, Carmen Renée; It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of Carmen Renée Marcinko on Monday, March 26, 2012 in her 43rd year after a courageous struggle with adrenal cancer. She will be best remembered and most missed for her fun loving ways and playful sense of humour. Carmen is survived by her devoted and loving, younger sister Tammy, her loving mother Bonita, her loving father Ronald and his wife Jane, her loving grandmother Rose, her uncles Kenneth and Richard, her aunt Lois, cousins Michael, Christopher, Samantha and Laura, her close friend Mark, and her extended family in Houston and College Station, Texas. Carmen was born in 1968 in Vancouver, British Columbia and at a young age moved with her family to Calgary, Alberta where she attended and graduated from, Bishop Grandin High School in 1986. In the fall of 1986, Carmen enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts Program at the University of British Columbia. In May 1987, at the age of 18, Carmen embarked on a five month, solo back packing tour of Europe and traveled through Greece, the former Yugoslavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia, Austria, West Germany including Berlin, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Carmen resumed her studies at the University of British Columbia from the fall of 1987 and completed three years of a four year Bachelor of Arts program in International Relations. Carmen most recently attended the University of Guelph enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts Program majoring in English with a minor in Theatre Studies. In 1993, Carmen relocated to the United Kingdom, training for several months with Karen Dixon MBE, a noted English Equestrian rider. Carmen has resided in Ottawa, Mississauga, Orangeville, and most recently on her farm shared with her sister Tammy near Kenilworth, Ontario. Throughout her life Carmen’s passion was riding horses and competing in both dressage and cross country events. Since an early age Carmen enjoyed numerous outdoor activities including downhill skiing in the Rockies, canoeing and camping in Algonquin Park, cycling and distance running. Carmen’s most recent employment was at the University of Guelph from 2003 to 2012 where she held the position of Analyst in the Computing and Communication Services Division. Carmen’s prior employment from 1999 to 2002 was first with Siemens Telecom Innovation Center and later with Siemens Business Services. Previously Carmen was employed by Newbridge Networks Corporation (1996 – 1999), and Nortel Networks (1994 – 1996). A private interment took place at the Lakeview Cemetery in Osoyoos, British Columbia on April 12, 2012. A celebration of her life will take place in the Royal Canadian Legion Hall, 500 Blair Street, Fergus Ontario commencing at 5:30pm on April 17, 2012. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that donations be made to the health charity of your choice, or to The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, Tribute in Memory of Carmen R. Marcinko, 610 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 2M9, or to The University of Michigan Office of Development, UMCC Adrenal Cancer Program – 310488, Tribute in Memory of Carmen R. Marcinko, 3003 South State Street, Suite 9000, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1288. Both The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation and The University of Michigan have online websites to facilitate charitable donations.
