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Marla Jean (Rumley) Garity was born on April 10, 1954 to Mary Anne (Bethards) Rumley and Eugene Rumley in Leon, Iowa. She died unexpectedly of undiagnosed metastatic cancer at University of Iowa Hospital on April 26, 2024. She was a daughter, a sister, a sister-in-law, a mother, a grandmother, an aunt, and a friend to many. She was generous with her time and her love for family, friends, and community.
Marla was raised in southern Iowa and graduated from Clarke Community High School in 1972. She married David Garity and had two daughters, Michele Langenberg and Danielle Stouder. They later divorced.
She spent over twenty years in banking, mostly at Corydon State Bank, and another twenty years with P.E.O. International, a non-profit educational organization in Des Moines. She made many life-long friends along the way.
In Corydon, while the girls were young, she was active in PTA, the United Methodist Church, and P.E.O. She was always ready to serve in whatever capacity was needed.
In Des Moines, she joined St. John’s United Methodist Church and made new friends with the Red Hat society and Bunco. She loved all adventures that encouraged dressing up and costumes.
She was a creative hobbyist her whole life. In the mid 80′s, she started a Victorian dollhouse that was her pride and joy for many years. She loved all things miniature: furniture, dioramas, tiny homes, and miniature horses. She enjoyed refinishing furniture, sewing of all kinds, but most of all making costumes.
She loved to travel and plan trips to see new places. Over the years, she traveled with her mom, her daughters, her extended family and her friends. She recently celebrated her 70th birthday in Isla Mujeres, Mexico with friends.
She was known for her love for family and friends, remembering birthdays and sending cards, keeping in touch with those near and far. She moved to Washington, Iowa, in 2021, to be near her grandchildren, Reagan and Sydney Stouder. She enjoyed attending their events and being nearby.
Those left to mourn her death are her children Michele (Tony) Langenberg of Hickory Creek, TX; Danielle (Ryan) Stouder of Washington, IA; two granddaughters Reagan and Sydney Stouder of Washington, IA; sister Sheila (Roger) Kentner of Osceola, IA; her uncle, Ronald Rumley of Osceola, IA; 3 nieces, Jill Poindexter of New Virginia, IA; Cari Bethards of Pleasantville, IA; and Nichole (Katrin) Hollinger of Ames, IA; and two nephews, Scott (Heather) Bethards of Leighton, IA; and Nathan (Becca) Kentner of Osceola, IA; 10 great nieces and nephews; Leyton, Landon, and Kinsley Bethards, Blake Kingsley, Ida and Wilma Hollinger, Justin Adams, Shelby, Caleb, and Jacob Kentner, and many cousins and friends.
Marla was preceded in death by her parents Eugene (2021) and Mary Anne (2024) Rumley, brother, Tony Bethards in (2022) and nephew-in-law, Brent Poindexter (2022).
A celebration of life service, including a P.E.O. Memorial service will be held Tuesday, May 7 at 11am at Kale Funeral Home in Osceola. Visitation will begin at 10am. Internment will immediately follow with a gathering of family and friends at the Osceola United Methodist Church afterwards.
Memorials can be made to P.E.O. Chapter OC (checks payable to) and will be donated to the educational loan fund, program for continuing education, and the STAR scholarship.
A live stream of the service will be available at www.kalefuneralhome.com on Marla’s tribute wall beginning at 11:00 am, Tuesday. Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.kalefuneralhome.com