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Marian Garner

September 13, 1928 - October 27, 2020

Marian Frances Garner, 92, passed away on October 27, 2020, at Hiawatha Care Center in Hiawatha, IA, after a courageous four-year battle with Alzheimer’s.
Marian was born September 13, 1928, to Gladys Hazel (Ruvoldt) and Milton Grady in Des Moines. She graduated from North High School in Des Moines in 1946. On September 11, 1948, she married her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Richard (Dick) Garner. Together they raised three loving daughters – Debi, Sandi and Kristy. After the early years in Des Moines, the family moved to Ankeny.
Marian was initially a stay-at-home parent, taking excellent care of her girls until it was time for them to attend college. She then sharpened her administrative skills and was promptly employed as secretary to the Vice-President of Student Activities of Drake University, from which all three girls then graduated.
Marian was a strong, intelligent woman with wide-ranging interests, including extensive foreign travel. She and Dick traveled to 32 countries with Marian collecting silver spoons documenting each. She was a devout volunteer. Marian delved into whatever intrigued her, much of it in some way related to her love of nature. Her passions included shelling in Marathon Key, FL, cultivating flowers (especially African Violets), bird watching and collecting, yes, even rocks.
Marian was also intensely loyal to family, friends, her flowers and her many, many pets over the years. She maintained friendships and correspondence with people near and abroad.
She was preceded in death by husband, Dick, mother, Gladys Dugan, father, Milton Grady and niece, Michelle Forrester.
Marian is survived by daughters, Debra Garner (John Richards) of Ankeny, Sandi Stewart (Sonny) of Lincoln, NE and Kristy Mahan (Scott) of Cedar Rapids; sister, Roberta Bethard of Marion; brother-in-law, Ed Garner (Debbie) of Saylorville and sister-in-law, Judy Deatsch of Truckee, CA. She is also survived by grandchildren, Gregory Jewett (Lynnsey), Lauren Jewett, Connor Mahan, Colin Mahan, April Richards-Bradt (Michael), Adam Richards, Amber Richards; great-grandchildren, Graham Spillman, Adley Odonnell, Kira Griggs, Payton Richards, Casey Richards-Bradt and Jesse Richards-Bradt; and great-great-grandson, Aaron Griggs.
Marian is also survived by her many, many kind and loving caregivers who extended continual support throughout her illness. They were immensely responsible for her happy and comfortable final years.
The family requests instead of flowers that Marian would be pleased with donations to her favorite charities. Two of those are ARL of Des Moines in memory of Marian F. Garner and the Ankeny Presbyterian Church.