Rentschler, Marie Ellen

Marie Ellen Rentschler, 92, of Delhi, died at the Guttenberg Municipal Hospital on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009, following a short battle with pneumonia. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Delhi United Methodist Church. Family will greet friends from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Clifton-Murdoch Funeral Home in Earlville and one hour before services at the church in Delhi. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Delhi.

Marie was born on a farm in Clayton County near Garber on Jan. 4, 1917, to Earl and Elsie Brown. She graduated from Colesburg High School in 1935. Marie was united in marriage to Howard Rentschler at the Evangelical and Reformed Church in Garber in 1935. The couple farmed in the Garber and Colesburg area until 1952, when they purchased the Delhi Locker and Grocery. They owned and operated the business until their retirement in 1978. In 2006, they moved to Lincolnwood Assisted Living in Edgewood.

Through the years, Marie worked as a telephone operator, farm wife, and clerk in their store in Delhi. She was a member of the Delhi United Methodist Church and was very active in the Sarah Circle. She enjoyed attending high school athletic events and traveling on bus tours with Howard and their friends. 

Marie was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and relative. Marie loved people and was a friend to all she met.

Marie is survived by her husband, Howard; two sons, Kirk (Jane) Rentschler and Owen (Gloria) Rentschler; grandsons, Ryan, Cody, Rick and Jon; great-grandchildren, McKenzie, Tait and Cole; and a sister, Jean Prentice.

Marie was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Elsie Brown.

A memorial fund has been established in Marie's name. Proceeds from the fund will go to the Delhi United Methodist Church - Sarah Circle, Maquoketa Valley Dollars for Scholars, and Camp Courageous.

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