Marie Lents

Funeral Services: Will be held on Wednesday, February 19, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. at the Fontanelle United Methodist Church with burial in the Eureka Center Cemetery, north of Fontanelle.  A luncheon will be held at the church following the committal services at the cemetery.  

Open Visitation: Will be held on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at the United Methodist Church in Fontanelle from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

Family Visitation: The family will greet friends on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at the United Methodist Church in Fontanelle from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

Memorials: Memorials may be directed to Marie Lents memorial fund to be established by the family at a later date. 

Marie D. Lents was born February 27, 1931, in Anita, Iowa, the daughter of Avery and Erma (Marsh) Stephenson.  She passed away on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, at the Good Samaritan Society in Fontanelle, Iowa, at the age of 88.

Marie grew up in Anita and attended grade school thru 8th grade in Anita.  She graduated from Adair High School in 1949.  On December 29, 1949, she was united in marriage to Donald Lents in the Adair United Methodist Church.  To this union four children were born: Ralph, Dale, Wayne and Cathy.  They moved to their farm in Eureka Township in 1959 and farmed until moving into Greenfield in the spring of 2005.

Marie enjoyed gardening, flowers, baking and she made birthday cakes and wedding cakes for her grandchildren.  She served as the Eureka Township Clerk, Highland/Fontanelle Methodist Church Women’s Society, member of the Highland/Fontanelle United Methodist Church, Adair County Historical Society, Adair County Extension Council, served as ring clerk for Adair County 4-H Beef Show and worked at the elections for many years.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Max and Rex Stephenson; three half-brothers, Earl, Ross, and Cecil Stephenson; brother in law, Carson Griffith; two nephews, Ronald and Alan Stephenson; and a half-sister in infancy.  

She is survived by her husband, Donald Lents; three sons, Ralph Lents of Menlo, Dale Lents and wife Evonne of Winterset and Wayne Lents and wife Ginny of Creston; daughter, Cathy Lents of Des Moines; 6 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; sister, Betty Griffith and husband Jack Lint of Rippey, Iowa; three sisters-in-law, Marilyn Stephenson of Adair, Martha Stephenson of Anita and Irene Westphal of West Des Moines; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jim and Betty Lents of Greenfield; other relatives and friends.