Marie Abarr

MARIE E. ABARR

Cedar Rapids

Marie E. Abarr, 79, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away, surrounded by her family, from Parkinson's disease and dementia on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017, at Evergreen Estates II, Cedar Rapids. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 20, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21, at the funeral home. Burial: 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 25, at Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Marie was born Dec. 28, 1937, in Elgin, Iowa, the daughter of Louis and Vera (Gress) Sutter Sr. On Sept. 28, 1958, Marie married Lyle "Tom" Abarr in Hedrick, Iowa. She worked for Square D for 13 years, then became "CEO" of the household. Marie, affectionately called "Ria," operated an in-home daycare for many, many children. She loved teaching her daycare children life skills.

Marie and Lyle "Tom" enjoyed going to John Deere shows. She liked to sew and especially liked making John Deere-themed items. Marie was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church.

She is survived by her children, Terri (Rod) Ford of Colorado, Michael (Susan) Abarr of Ankeny and Steven Abarr (Sherry Sheridan) of Grimes; seven grandchildren, Mitchel (Dari), Tiffany, Alisha, Kelsi, Christopher, McKayla and Noah; nine great- grandchildren; and her siblings, Doris Shott and Beverly Fredrick, both of West Union, Shirley Halverson of Tama, Louis Sutter Jr. of Cedar Rapids, Ilo Downs of Overbrook, Kan., and Audrey Boeckenheuer of Ossian.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Louis and Vera; husband, Lyle "Tom" Abarr; and infant sister, Karen Sutter.

Memorials may be directed to Hospice of Mercy.

Please share a memory of Marie at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.