Marguerite Couch

MARGUERITE COUCH

Cedar Rapids

Marguerite Couch, 94, passed away on Feb. 22, 2018, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Marguerite was born Sept. 18, 1923, in Hull, Iowa, the daughter of Charles Orsamis and Sarah (Effie) Euphemia Maude Grice Sawyer.

Marguerite received her A.A. from San Bernardino Valley Junior College in 1943, and then attended Pomona College in Claremont, Calif. On Oct. 21, 1945, Marguerite Sawyer and George Couch were united in marriage in Riverside, Calif. George preceded her in death on Nov. 24, 1967. She also was preceded in death by Gilbert Maas, her friend and companion of more than 30 years, who passed in 2011.

Marguerite received her B.A. from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids in 1974 and her Iowa teaching certificate in 1975. She retired from Washington High School in Cedar Rapids in 1988 after 20 years in the library and English department.

Marguerite spent 48 summers at her much-loved cottage on West Lake Okoboji, Iowa. She was the doyenne of beach raking, taking great pride in keeping her beach (and often surrounding beaches) pristine, and was up early every morning raking until she was 90 years old. Marguerite enjoyed reading, Scrabble, crossword puzzles, animals, bird watching and tending to her flower gardens and house plants. She had a passion for the English language, as well as poetry and classical music.

Marguerite is survived by five children, Anita (Jack) Balgenorth, Jim (Janice) Couch, Ric (Pam Bennett) Couch, Sue Novak and Jan Marie Kellner; five grandchildren, Brian (Karen) Carl, Cari (Wade) Rutkoskie, Beth (Ernie Christiansen) Balgenorth, Lindsey Couch and Marissa (Matt) Schuster; and six great-grandchildren, Jacob Carl, Jessica Carl, Thomas Rutkoskie, Isabelle Christiansen, Brayden Schuster and Alivia Schuster. Cremation has taken place and as she requested, no public services will be held. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Cedar Valley Humane Society in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.