Marlys McGrane

MCGRANE, KILSON, TOLL, KOSTNER, FISCHER, HALVERSON, SELLEN, BENSON, HESS, KIMBALL, SWEENEY, GERAETS, POWELL, PRASHAW, HANSEN

Posted By: dbeier (email)
Date: 7/21/2010 at 13:06:45

Marlys (Toll) McGrane, 96, of Waverly, Iowa, died July 9, 2010, at the Shell Rock Health Care Center in Shell Rock, Iowa.

Marlys was born on July 3, 1914, in rural Shell Rock, Butler County, Iowa, the daughter of Clarence A. and Grace (Kilson) Toll.

Marlys grew up on a farm on the Butler Center Road, Butler County, with her sister, Erma, and brother, Claire. In 1928, the family moved to Waverly and Marlys attended the Waverly High School, graduating in 1932. Marlys worked at Schultsmeyer's department store and was voted Miss Waverly, 1936. On November 25, 1937, Marlys was united in marriage to Francis Donald ("Don" or "Red") McGrane in St. Mary's Catholic Church parsonage in Waverly. The couple made their home in Waverly, where Marlys kept very busy raising their seven children, four boys and three girls. Don died suddenly of a stroke on Christmas Day, 1982, and Marlys continued to make her home in Waverly, until recently moving to the Shell Rock Health Care Center.

Marlys was a faithful member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Waverly. She was very active as a scout leader in both Brownies and Cub Scouts, when her children were active in those organizations. She was an accomplished seamstress and maker of handcrafts, which she often made for her family or donated to organizations like the Hospital Auxiliary. Marlys also enjoyed knitting, crocheting, quilting and reading. Marlys traveled well into her 80's, visiting her children and grandchildren, as well as National Parks and monuments throughout the United States and Canada. She had memorable trips to many Broadway shows in New York and the Alaska Ferry and touring Alaska.

Marlys is survived by six children and their spouses: daughter: Patricia (McGrane) Kostner and her husband, Thomas of Bloomer, Wisconsin; daughter-in-law: Karen Fischer (widow of Donald McGrane) of San Jose, California; son: Roger McGrane and his wife, Patricia (Halverson) of Yuma, Arizona; son: Michael McGrane and his wife, Janet (Sellen) of Livingston, New Jersey; son: John McGrane and his wife, Martha (Benson) of McLean, Virginia; daughter: Janet McGrane and her husband, Steve Hess of Newburg, Maryland; and daughter: Karen McGrane of Centennial, Colorado; 20 grandchildren: Jeffrey Kostner, Kristen (Kostner) Kimball, Paul Kostner, Stacia (Kostner) Sweeney, Daniel McGrane, Shannon McGrane, Raymond Fischer, Tracy (McGrane) Geraets, Shawn McGrane, Paul McGrane, Brian McGrane, James McGrane, Christopher McGrane, Ann McGrane, Steve Hess, Erika (Hess) Powell, Erin (Hansen) Prashaw, Jason Hansen, Andrew Hansen, and Joel Hansen; twenty-five great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren.

Marlys was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Francis Donald McGrane; son, Donald P. McGrane (who was killed in action in North Vietnam); brother, Claire Toll; and sister, Erma (Toll) McGrane.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on July 13, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church in Waverly, with Msgr. Walter Brunkan officiating.

Burial will be in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in Waverly.

Public visitation will be held at Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly on Monday, July 12, 2010 from 5 – 7 pm, with a public scripture service beginning at 6:30 pm.

Memorials may be directed to the Iowa Hospice.