Marie Kessler Stanley

Winterset

Freeda "Marie" Kessler Stanley was born April 17, 1921 in Lacona, Iowa to Rev. Reed and Freeda Sones Kessler. Because her father was a minister, Marie lived in various towns in Iowa, Colorado and Wyoming growing up. She graduated from Earlham High School in 1939. She attended Simpson College and taught country school in Lee Township.

Marie married Glen Stanley on October 19, 1940 and spent her life as a farm wife and mother raising five children. She also worked as an aide for years at Winterset Care Center North and later Madison County Memorial Hospital. She was a former member of the Worthington United Methodist Church and most recently the Winterset Foursquare Gospel Church.

Marie was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Leo Kessler; son-in-law, Don Flynn; and husband, Glen. She is survived by her brother, Galen Kessler and wife Marge of Pleasant Hill; sisters-in-law, Donna Kessler of Audubon and Hazel Stanley of Winterset; her children, Mary Jane Flynn of Winterset, Ray Stanley and wife Lynne of Spearfish, SD, Martha Brown and husband Dave of Greenville, SC, Elaine Kephart and husband Everett of New Virginia, and Ann Epperson and husband Bob of Winterset; seventeen grandchildren; thirty great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

On Monday, October 3, Marie passed away at Winterset Care Center South at the age of 90. Her funeral service will be held Friday, October 7, at the Winterset Foursquare Gospel Church. Visitation will be Thursday from noon to 8 p.m. at the Winterset Foursquare Gospel Church with family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Burial will be in the Winterset Cemetery. Memorials will be directed to the Winterset Foursquare Gospel Church or the Winterset Chaplaincy Board. Arrangements are being handled by McCalley-Collins Funeral Home.