Ellen May Marz

Ellen May Marz

Homestead

Ellen May Marz, 94, of Homestead, passed away Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, at Colonial Manor. Funeral services: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, at the Middle Amana Church with Elder Emilie Hoppe officiating. Burial will be at the Homestead Cemetery, Homestead. Visitation: 4 to 6 p.m., Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, at the Middle Amana Church. Memorials can be given in Ellen May’s name to the Amana Church. Kloster Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Ellen May is survived by her daughter, Geri (Lu Zoller) Marz of Portland, Ore.; her son, Eugene (Debra) Marz of Cedar Rapids; two grandchildren, Corey (Bryce) Urbanek of Kearney, Neb., and Jake Marz of Ward, Colo.; two great-grandchildren, Cassie and Collin Urbanek; and a half-brother, Richard Leichsenring of Middle Amana.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Fritz Marz; her sister, Katy Ehrman; and her brother, Ernest, in infancy.

Ellen May was born Sept. 24, 1928, in South Amana, the daughter of Ernest and Louisa (Berger) Leichsenring. She graduated from Amana High School in 1947 and attended business college in Le Mars. She was united in marriage to Fritz R. Marz in an outdoor ceremony in Homestead, Iowa, on Sept. 12, 1948. Ellen May was employed by Amana Refrigeration and Zuber’s Restaurant. Alongside Fritz, Ellen May was a cemetery steward for the seven Amana Cemeteries for 42 years. She was a member of the Amana Church.

Ellen May will be remembered as strong and independent (albeit stubborn). She loved working in her garden and yard and quilting for family and friends. Anything made with her hefenteig was delicious (especially cinnamon rolls and hefeklosse)! She was an avid ‘jigsaw puzzler.’ She loved cats, hummingbirds, and her flowers. She was always supportive and so proud of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren (the twins).

Online condolences: www.klosterfuneralhome.com.