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Marla Walters
MARLA WALTERS
Monticello
Marla Walters, 78, died Sunday, July 4, 2021, at St. Luke's Hospital, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, July 8, at Wayne Zion Lutheran Church, rural Monticello, with interment in Wayne Zion Cemetery. Pastor Wade Reddy will officiate at the services. The family will greet friends from 9:30 until 10:45 a.m. Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello, has taken Marla and her family into their care. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Wayne Zion Organ Fund, Days For Girls at Wayne Zion or St. Luke's Hospice.
Survivors include her husband, George; three children, Pam (Ernest) Eiben, Robert Strickell and Karen (Jeff) Frankfurt; a stepdaughter, Margaret (Kenneth) Sluyk; seven grandchildren, Nathan Eiben, Cody (Triny) Frankfurt, Abby (Preston) Taylor, Dalton Strickell, David Frankfurt, Carter Sluyk and Quentin Sluyk; one great-grandchild, Claire, and one due in August; four sisters, Rose (Steve) Goyke, Linda Weber, Cynthia (Ron) Weber and Kathy (Max) Hawkins; two brothers-in-law, John (Paula) Walters and Charles (Donna) Walterls; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, David Strickell; a great-granddaughter, Rylee Fankfurt; her brother, Robert Portewig; and brother-in-law, Harlan Weber.
Marla Jeanne Portewig was born Feb. 2, 1943, at John McDonald Hospital, Monticello, Iowa. She was the daughter of Ernest and Ruth Bennen Portewig. Marla started school in Wayne Township schools and graduated from Monticello Community School in 1961. Marla married James Robert Strickell Jr. on Dec. 1, 1961, at Wayne Zion. The couple later divorced. Marla was employed at Lefebure, Collins Radio, Monticello Circuits and Hearn Tire. She married George Walters in 1993 at Wayne Zion. The couple lived in Michigan City, Ind., where Marla was active in the Elks Club. She was the first female Exalted Ruler of the Michigan City Elks Club and attended many Miss America Pageants with the Elks.
Marla was active in the Monticello Federated Garden Club after she and George moved back to Monticello. She was a lifelong member of Wayne Zion Lutheran Church. She served on the Cemetery Board, taught Sunday school, served on the church council and distributed Home Communion, the Quilting Group and Days for Girls. She was also a Cubs Fan.
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