Heather Hamberg

Heather Lynn (Hansen) Hamberg, 55, of Alton, IL, passed away at her home on Friday, October 2, 2026. She was born on October 4, 1970, in Alton, to Michael Edward Morris Hansen and Linda Eileen (Lewis) Scheffel.

Heather dedicated her life to caring for others. She was a nurse at Alton Memorial Hospital and St. Louis University Hospital, following an earlier career in teaching. She was also a United States Marine Corps veteran.

On December 9, 1995, she married Eric Hamberg in Alton. Together, they built a life filled with love, laughter, and support for their children, Taylor and Dalton, and every dream and adventure they pursued. Family was at the heart of everything she did.

She was thoughtful in ways that made people feel known and cared for. Her love was in the details: a handwritten card in the mail, a favorite food waiting at home, a thoughtful gift, a trip planned together, or a toy for a grand dog. She loved Walt Disney World, where she could escape the everyday and make memories with her family. In 2023, she completed the Walt Disney World Princess Weekend 5K, something far outside her comfort zone. The event tested her physically and mentally in ways she had not expected. There were moments when she wanted to quit, but she kept going, finding the strength to finish something she had decided she would do. Even as multiple sclerosis took a toll on her body, she continued to find ways to live life on her own terms.

She was a woman who knew exactly what she liked. Her family always knew when she loved something and, just as clearly, when she did not. If she didn’t say it outright, her face usually gave it away. She could be unintentionally funny in her very specific opinions and observations, and those moments became part of what made her so memorable to the people who knew her best.

She found happiness in the comforts of home. She loved blankets (she had too many to count), candles, and decorating for the seasons, especially fall and Christmas. She was particular about her Christmas tree and how it was decorated. Some of her family’s favorite memories are of Christmas at home, with the tree lit, candles burning, Celine Dion or Kenny G playing, and cookies baking.

She treasured time with the people closest to her. She enjoyed watching Hallmark movies with Eric, family trips, good food, and days without anywhere to be. She was not someone who needed grand gestures to make her feelings known. She paid attention and she remembered. She made sure the people she loved knew they had been thought of. That was her way of loving.

She had her own way of doing things, her own opinions, and her own routines, but beneath all of it was a deep love for her family. Multiple sclerosis and other challenges changed what life looked like for her, but they never changed how much she loved or how deeply she cared. She wanted her family close, wanted to make memories while she could, and wanted the people she loved to feel at home. For Eric, Taylor, Dalton, and for everyone who shared a life with her, that love will remain long after she is gone.

Surviving are her husband, Eric; son and daughter, Dalton Hamberg and Taylor Hamberg; her mother, Linda Scheffel; two brothers, Daniel Hansen and Michael Hansen; a niece and nephews; father and mother in-law, Stephen and Sharon Hamberg; and sister-in-law, Nicole Hamberg. She was preceded in death by her father, Michael Edward Morris Hansen.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at www.nationalmssociety.org. Additional information and online guestbook are available at www.gentfuneralhome.com.