Keffer, Marion P.

Marion P. Keffer, 90, of Cedar Rapids, died Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011, at Mercy Medical Center. Memorial services: 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 5, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids, by Pastor Willy Mafuta of Asbury Methodist Church. The family will greet friends one half-hour before the service at the funeral home. Burial: Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. Military honors by Veteran Foreign War Post 788.

Marion was born Oct. 21, 1921, in Atlantic, Iowa, the son of John Pearl and Lottie (Wheeler) Keffer. He joined the National Guard June 10, 1940, and was called into active service Feb. 10, 1941. Marion served with Company K-168th Infantry and received an honorable discharge on Sept. 15, 1945. He was a prisoner of war for 27 months. Marion was awarded the American Defense Service Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge and three Bronze Service Stars for his service in World War II. He was a lifetime member of the VFW of Cedar Rapids and the American Legion for 48 years. After his discharge from the Army, he spent 20 years in the Iowa National Guard of Cedar Rapids.

On June 13, 1966, he married Betty Louise Reynolds. He was employed by Quaker Oats Co. for nine years and the United States Post Office for 25 years.

His hobbies were hunting, fishing and bowling.

He is survived by his wife, Betty, of 45 years; six stepchildren, Cheryl (Gary) Gray, Colleen Dietrich, Robert Bruce Reynolds (Kay) and Vickie Rudd, all of Cedar Rapids, Dusty Reynolds (Kim) of Vinton and Peggy Fischer (Del) of Moorhead, Minn.; 12 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Ruby O'Brien of Cedar Rapids and Leah Cook of Independence.

He was preceded in death by his parents; five brothers, Edwin, Paul, Donald, Maurice and Bruce Keffer; and two sisters, Helen and Norma Jean.

Please sign the online guest book for Marion at  under obituaries.

Published Dec. 2, 2011, in The Gazette