Marcella 'Marcie' Kranz, 93 of Kingsley, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 3, 2025 at Bickford Senior Living in Sioux City, Iowa.

Funeral Service will be at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at First Lutheran Church in Kingsley, Iowa. Burial will follow at Kingsley Cemetery. Visitation with the family present will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday at the church. Arrangements are with Johnson-Earnest Funeral Home in Kingsley.

Expressions of sympathy may be expressed to the family through www.mauerjohnsonfh.com.

Contributions in her memory may be made to First Lutheran Church, Kingsley, Iowa.

Born Marlene Marcella French on October 22, 1931, in Kingsley, Iowa, she was the youngest child of John N. and Ella (Gist) French. She grew up on a farm southwest of Kingsley until her early teens when she moved with her parents to Sioux City. She attended East High School and especially enjoyed participating as a majorette in the marching band as well as volunteering as a candy striper at Lutheran Hospital. After graduation, she went on to attend their nursing program at Morningside College.

On September 22, 1951, in Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, Marcie married Don E. Kranz. She joined First Lutheran Church in Kingsley where Don was a member, and in the coming years, their three children would be baptized there. Together she and Don started farming south of Moville in the spring of 1953, and in 1962, they bought their farm in Anthon. At this time, they transferred their membership to Trinity Lutheran. However, Marcie always called Kingsley "home," and she eventually transferred her membership back to First Lutheran Church.

It was most important to Marcie and Don to raise their family in the Church and on the farm. Extended family life was important, too, and she often hosted holidays and family reunions.

Among her passions were gardening, sewing, crocheting, quilting, and painting. For many years, she found great joy in these hobbies with her closest friend, Esther Hoeck. They took a variety of classes together, and there was always a new project on the horizon.

Eventually, Marcie returned to her dream of working in a healthcare setting. For nineteen years, she worked as a unit secretary in Surgery at Marion Health Center. After retiring, she and Don wintered in Donna, Texas. Those were times of well-earned leisure and fun, as were trips through the years to Mexico, Europe, and Hawaii. However, most special were the times spent with their family.

In 2011, Marcie moved to Moville where she became neighbors with her brother Wyndham, sister-in-law Darlene, and several longtime friends. She looked forward to morning coffee and exercise classes at the Community Center, and for several years, she took joy in tending a community garden.

Marcie moved to Bickford Senior Living in Sioux City in October 2023.

She is survived by her children: Deborah Simmer of Iowa City, Donette (Jim) Lyon of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Gary (Keri) Kranz of Anthon; eight grandchildren: Ryan Simmer, Reid (Macy) Simmer, Jeff (Tami) Lyon, Jon (Abby) Lyon, JeanAnn (Beau) Bryan, Kalie (Stacy) Boekelman, Josh (Kristi) Kranz, and Cody (Robyn) Kranz; and sixteen great-grandchildren.

Marcie was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her seven siblings and their spouses; and two infant great-grandsons.