Colleen M. Mackowick

Colleen Michelle Mackowick passed away November 19, 2016 at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo of complications from colon cancer. She was born January 16, 1979 in Missoula, Montana to Ronald Lee and Linda Dietz Pearson. She attended school in Stevensville, Montana, graduating in 1997. From an early age, we knew she was going to be a precocious child, talking well, almost like an adult, before she started to walk. Even as a preschooler she was always quick to correct any errors we might make and continued this as an adult. She was also a determined child, focusing on the “mighty muscles” fitness competitions in grade school which consisted of doing the flexed arm hang; she won this monthly fitness competition much to the chagrin of the boys in her class who couldn’t figure out how to best her. She also held the record for the “flexed arm hang” in junior high until 2013, and in high school gym class impressed her gym teacher in weight lifting until he refused to put more weights on the bar. But don’t ask her to be on your baseball or basketball team: She had a tendency to trip on the painted lines on the floor. Her tenacity certainly helped her in battles yet to come. She participated in Olympics of the Mind, symphonic band, pep band, and was a member of National Honor Society while in high school.
Colleen was drawn toward the Midwest when choosing a college to attend. She ultimately was awarded a scholarship to Concordia College in Moorhead, MN; she wasn’t deterred by the sandbags and flooding that she found when making a visit to the campus in the spring of 1997. She graduated in 2001 with bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration and Political Science. She was drawn back to Montana with a plan to attend law school but affairs of the heart called her back to back to Moorhead in only a few months. She began work at US Bank in the fall of 2001 in the credit card department. She was employed there until 2008.
She married Marlon Mackowick of Moorhead, the love of her life, on July 5, 2003. They were joined by Elizabeth Rose in November 2009 and Abigail Faith in July 2011. Colleen’s greatest joy was being a stay-at-home mom and nurturing her girls.
Colleen was diagnosed with Stage IV colorectal cancer in 2013 and began the journey of conquering this disease. She researched constantly to learn about her condition, life-style changes she should make, and available treatments. We were all amazed at her courage and determination; her strength and courage were unsurpassed. She was determined that her diagnosis would not define her: She was Colleen, a wife and mother and a pretty smart cookie, not Colleen with colon cancer. But she also learned a certain humility during this struggle; she learned that people are kind and generous and willing to help those who are engaged in struggles; she learned to accept the unconditional love and generosity of the people of her church and community. She was a bright light that was in our lives for too short of time. We are blessed to have known her and to have been touched by her courage. Colleen especially wants us all to know that she didn’t lose her battle with cancer, her body got tired so she finished her race early.
She was preceded in death by her father Ronald Pearson, grandparents Henry and Rosalie Dietz and Raymond Kauffman. She is survived by her husband Marlon, daughters Lizzie and Abbie of Moorhead; her parents Floyd and Linda Kauffman of Stevensville, Montana; sister Melissa Kauffman of Stevensville Montana; grandmother Emma Kauffman of Plain City, Ohio; brothers-in-law Matt Mackowick and Mike Mackowick Maggie of Moorhead, and Mark Mackowick Lynn of Minneapolis; her parents -in-law Duane and Faye Mackowick of Moorhead; numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.