Robert William Shimek

Robert William Shimek passed away on March 12, 2022, in Heber, Arizona. He was born to Ronald Wayne and Carol June Wallace Shimek on April 6, 1967.  In the beginning of March 2021, Bob and his wife were planning their future-early retirement and travel.  He came home sick from work on March 20,2021 and had emergency surgery.  From that point on the cancer took over.  Bob was a fighter and refused pain meds because he was determined to get well and go back to work.  After living for a year in constant pain and his yearlong battle with cancer, he passed at home with his family.

Robert lived a full life having grown up in the valley and traveling across the world as a US Marine.  After his time in the Marine Corps, he took up decorative metal art and blacksmithing as he continued his adventures across the country living as a gypsy in a teepee with friends.  He expanded his spiritual knowledge through the wiccan practice and developed a love of the culture.  However, he was still a kid at heart with his love of all things nerdy like video games and other forms of media.  He was an outstanding employee of BNSF railway where he continued his adventures until his passing, always in search of new horizons.

Robert is survived by his wife, Deborah MacVane Shimek; his son, Liam Drake MacVane Shimek; his step son, Michael William MacVane; Michael’s wife, Marlene MacVane, and his four grandchildren, Christopher, Theresa, James Angus and Emma Lucille; his father, Ronald Shimek; his sister, Mary Elizabeth Sharma; his mother-in-law, Lorraine Mae Follett MacVane; his sister-in-law, Virginia Dawn MacVane Forbes; her husband, David Forbes; his sister-in-law, Gayle Cheri MacVane Sanders; her husband, Frank Sanders; and many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Carol June Wallace Shimek; his maternal grandmother, Rosemary Wallace Murphy, and his paternal grandmother, Corrinne (Corky) Shimek. Graveside Services were held in April at the Heber Cemetery.

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