Colleen Faye Henkel was born in Edmonton, AB on September 2, 1961. She passed away peacefully on May 28, 2024 at the age of 62 years. Colleen was predeceased by her loving and extraordinary parents, William (Bill) and Dixie Henkel.
Colleen was unique, strong, resilient, and fought a courageous battle her entire life. She showed us the importance of communication through various means other than speech, enjoying life’s simple pleasures. Colleen touched the lives of all who were blessed to know her, including teachers, aids, friends and especially, her companions who provided Colleen with amazing tender care.
Colleen was lovingly cared for at home by her parents until, at the age of 28 years, her needs required additional support and she was moved to the Good Samaritan Dr. Gerald Zetter Care Centre. She resided here for 34 years receiving love and care from devoted staff including a top-notch Interdisciplinary Team. Each week (from Monday to Friday) for 35 years, Colleen used the Disabled Adults Transportation System (DATS) to attend the Elves Adult Day Program. While there, she participated in programs supporting both growth and learning from specialized professionals and a care team which were second-to-none.
A special thank you goes out to Colleen’s companions who provided many years of loving, thoughtful and attentive care. During the last two years, while battling cancerous tumors, Colleen’s pain was managed well and she was kept comfortable which brought peace of mind to those she loved.
Our sincere appreciation also goes out to Colleen’s family physician, Dr. Roberta Grynoch, who was extraordinarily skilled and responsive to Colleen’s needs. Dr. Mirhosseini (Noush) and Dr. Buttenschoen, Palliative Care Physicians, staff from the Grey Nuns Hospital Unit 43 Palliative Care Unit, as well as a specialized and skilled team of professionals and medical staff were instrumental in Colleen’s end-of-life journey.
Without words, Colleen was able to express the love and appreciation she had for her parents, care staff, teachers, companions and friends. She will be missed by all who were touched by her beautiful soul, especially her devoted guardian, Sandy Hanna.
A service of praise and thanksgiving honouring the life of Colleen Henkel will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2024 at 10:00 am at Hainstock’s Funeral Home, 9810 - 34 Avenue, Edmonton, AB.
Live streaming link will be available further down the obituary page where you see the ‘play’ button, next to the service information.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following:
Good Samaritan Dr. Gerald Zetter Centre, 9649 - 71 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 5J2 https://gss.org/donate/
Elves Special Needs Society, 10825 - 142 Street NW Edmonton, AB T5N 3Y7 https://www.elves-society.org/donation-options
Grey Nuns Grey Community Hospital (Palliative Care Unit) Covenant Foundation
Suite #170, 10130 - 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5K 2K4 https://www.covenantfoundation.ca/donate-today
