Marie Staman

MARIE STAMAN

Amana

Marie E. Staman, 90, died Monday, Sept. 1, 2014, at Colonial Manor in Amana. She died following a short illness from a recent fall suffered in her home. Visitation with the family present will be from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, at Kloster Funeral Home in Marengo. A memorial service will be 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids, with the family receiving friends after 1 p.m. until service time. Private burial services will be at the Amana Cemetery.

Memorials in Marie's name may be made to First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids designated for children's ministry or to the Marengo Memorial Hospital Foundation designated to eldercare.

Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo, is in charge of arrangements.

Marie Emilie was born Dec. 9, 1923, in the village of Amana, the daughter of Peter G. and Louise Herman Zimmermann. Her birthplace was in the family home which is now the location of the Ronneburg Restaurant in Amana. Her early life was spent in the final years of the Communal time in Amana and the years immediately thereafter. She graduated from Amana High School in 1941. She attended Coe College in Cedar Rapids as well as Central College in Pella and Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls for summer terms. Marie served as an elementary and middle school teacher in the Amana Schools for 12 years and a substitute teacher for more than 20 years. She then took time to be at home with her family. Later in life she enjoyed working in retail sales for the Kitchen Sink in Amana and especially enjoyed the annual Amana Easter Egg coloring event.

Marie participated in a two-month-long study trip to Europe in 1954, visiting many countries as well as the Ronneburg Castle, where her ancestors resided before coming to America. Marie and Gilbert revisited many of these sites with a trip to Europe in 1987 and a special visit with longtime friends, the Pfeiffer family of Wiesbaden, Germany.

She enjoyed family trips to Door County, Wis., for more than 30 years and looked so forward to the annual harvest of fresh cherries. She also enjoyed 20 years in retirement of wintertime getaways to Fort Myers, Fla.

Marie was active in many parts of the Amana community, serving as a founding leader of the Girl Scouts and Camp Fire programs. She also was active as a leader in Y-Teens and Cub Scouts. Marie was an almost 60-year member of First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids, where she served on several committees and was active in the Presbyterian Mariners and Presbyterian Women's Chapel Society. She was a founding member of the Amana Heritage Society, working many hours to help curate portions of the original opening of the Museum of Amana History. She also was a member of the Amana Artist Guild, PEO Chapter GM and served 25 years on the Colonial Manor Care Review patient advocate committee.

Her hobbies included reading, cooking, making Amana quilts, gardening and feeding the birds.

Marie is survived by her husband, Gilbert, whom she married at First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids on March 18, 1956; her son, Paul, and daughter-in-law Margaret Staman of High Amana; and her granddaughter, Rachel Staman of Baltimore, Md., and her fiance, Alan Mejibovsky. Oma was so proud of her granddaughter, Rachel, who also entered the teaching profession. Also surviving are her special cousin and husband, Elsie and Bill Oehler of Amana; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Peter G. and Louise Herman Zimmermann; and her sister and brother.

Marie will be deeply missed by her family.

A special thank you to Pastor Herb Isenberg, Pastor Heather Hayes and Deb Sedlacek, Faith Community nurse of First Presbyterian Church, for their care of Marie and her family. Also the family wishes to express their deep gratitude to all staff and medical providers at the Marengo Memorial Hospital, Lakeview Village, Colonial Manor and Essence of Life Hospice for their care of Marie over these past weeks.

Online condolences may be extended to the family at www.klosterfuneral home.com.