Obituary of Marie Lavon Van Der Hart

Marie L. Van Der Hart passed from this life on Thursday evening, December 29, 2016, at her home at Park Centre, in Newton. Marie Lavon Brown-Van Der Hart, 87, was born September 10, 1929, the daughter of Doyal L. and Rachel (Smith) Brown, in Prairie City. . She was a graduate of the Newton Senior High School, Class of 1948. She later attended the Iowa State Teachers College (University of Northern Iowa) in Cedar Falls. On July 22, 1950, Marie was united in marriage with Carl Steenhoek in Reasnor. To this union four children were born: Sandra, Marvin, Joyce and Donald. She was employed as a country school teacher, school bus driver and custodian at Monroe schools. She later married Donald Van Der Hart on July 23, 1983, in the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA. Marie devoted her life to her family as a homemaker and farm wife. Having lived near Newton, rural Monroe and rural Melrose, she was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved her. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, farming, quilting and sewing school bags for missions, and was a member of the United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women and was a 4-H leader. Marie is survived by her husband Donald; her children: Sandra (Larry) Hartman of Princeville, IL, Marvin (Kathy) Steenhoek of Monroe, Joyce (Francis) Van Der Hart of Monroe and Donald (Lu Anne) Steenhoek of Reasnor; ten grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren; a sister Marilyn Schwartz; brothers: Harold (Lois) Brown and Duane (Grace) Brown; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers: Floyd Brown and Karl Brown; and a grandson Matthew Steenhoek. A time of remembrance and celebration of life will be 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 4, 2017, at the Pence – Reese Funeral Home in Newton, with visitation an hour prior to the services. Burial will be in Silent City Cemetery in Monroe. The family of Marie's wants to thank you for attending today to celebrate with us her life. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left to the family in Marie's name: to the Alzheimer's Association; Chariton United Methodist Church; PCM Foundation; or a charity of your choosing.