Stepanek, Darwin Duane 1955-2020

STEPANEK, NEKOLA, KNUDTSON, CRANSTON, BEHOUNEK, CRAWFORD, DAVIS

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 7/13/2021 at 21:35:36

Darwin and Marlene Stepanek
April 11, 1951 - October 28, 2020

Marlene and Darwin Stepanek received their angel wings on Wednesday, October 28, 2020 and Thursday, October 29, 2020, respectively, at University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City, Iowa.

A private family funeral mass will be held at 10:00 am, Thursday, November 5, 2020 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Grinnell with Fr. Ross Epping presiding. They will be interred together at St. Joseph Cemetery in Chelsea, Iowa. The service will be livestreamed on the Smith Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SmithFuneralHomeCremationService. Livestreaming will begin at 9:45 am.
A public visitation with the family present will be held from 2:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Wednesday, November 4th at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. A face mask will be required for those in attendance.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be designated to the Darwin and Marlene Stepanek Memorial Fund, to benefit local organizations selected by their daughters, and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112. Their daughters encourage friends and community members to share a funny memory of their parents at www.smithfh.com to lift their spirits at this difficult time.

Marlene Jean Behounek was born the daughter of Wesley Charles Behounek and Hazel Marie (Davis) Behounek on April 11, 1951 in Marshalltown, Iowa. She was raised on the family farm near Chelsea, IA and graduated from Belle Plaine High School in Belle Plaine, IA in 1969. She received her nursing degree from Marshalltown Community College in Marshalltown, IA in 1972.

Darwin Duane Stepanek was born the son of Charles Joseph Stepanek and Mildred Helen (Nekola) Stepanek on February 19, 1955 in Toledo, Iowa. He was raised near Grinnell and graduated from Grinnell High School in 1973.

Darwin and Marlene were united in marriage on September 6, 1975 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Chelsea. They were blessed with three daughters, Dara, Darcia and Doria. They lived in Grinnell all of their married lives. Darwin was a truck driver for Golden Sun Feeds in Grinnell for many years and hauled Budweiser for JB Hunt. Marlene was a longtime nurse at Grinnell Regional Medical Center. They moved to northern California in 2009 and Marlene worked as a traveling nurse. In 2016 they moved back to Grinnell to be closer to their girls and grandchildren. They were members of St. Mary Catholic Church in Grinnell.

Darwin and Marlene cherished every moment they had with their grandchildren and children and loved the family trips they took together. Their marriage was one of dedication, strength, kindness, and was fun-filled. They balanced each other in so many ways: Darwin being more outgoing, spontaneous, and free-spirited to Marlene being more easygoing, modest, and being the voice of reason. Darwin’s enjoyments were deer hunting, mushroom hunting, fishing, tinkering in his man shed, and Sunday morning “church sessions” held with his friends. He will be remembered for his signature smirk/smile, for his sense of humor, for being a great friend to many, and for being strong-willed. Marlene’s enjoyments were reading romance novels, going to visit the family farm near Chelsea, landscaping and mowing, baking, watching PBR rodeos on TV with Darwin, and her uninterrupted time watching the Hallmark Channel on TV. She will be remembered as Grinnell’s Mother Teresa, one who provided loving care to so many patients at Grinnell Regional Medical Center, for her gentle and kind way, giving nature, and for her famous quote, “Oh Darwin.” They have left many with an everlasting memory of good times, love, hope, and strength.

Darwin and Marlene are survived by their daughters, Dara (Brendan) Knudtson, and their children Carlie and Dalen, of Postville, IA, Darcia Stepanek of Grinnell, and Doria (Brandon Cranston) Stepanek, and their children, Memphis, Savannah and Jackson, of Grinnell; Darwin’s siblings, Charlie (Mary) Stepanek of Grinnell, Rick (Kris) Stepanek of Grinnell, Kevin Stepanek of Newton, IA, and Ron (Amy) Stepanek of Yale, IA; Marlene’s siblings, Carol Behounek of Chelsea, Steve Behounek of Chelsea, and Mary (Jeff) Crawford of Altoona, IA; and many nieces and nephews. They were preceded in death by their parents.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Darwin and Marlene Stepanek please visit our Tribute Store.

Events
NOV 04
Visitation
Wednesday, November 04, 2020
2:00PM - 7:00PM
Smith Funeral Home
1103 Broad Street, Grinnell, IA 50112
Grinnell, IA 50112

A face mask is required for those attending the visitation. ~ The Smith Funeral Home, Grinnell, Iowa Oct 2020.