Mary Kestel

Marcus, Iowa –Mary Ann Kestel, 66, of Rural Marcus, Iowa, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, September 11, 2020 at MercyOne in Sioux City, Iowa. Abiding by her wishes, Mary’s body has been donated for medical research. A Memorial Mass will take place on Saturday, September 26, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Name Catholic Church in Marcus. Rev. Eugene Murray will officiate. Burial will be at a later date in Holy Name Cemetery in Marcus. Visitation will be one hour before the service at the church.

Mary Ann Kestel was born at Sacred Heart Hospital in Le Mars, Iowa on June 24, 1954 to Paul and Doris (Bunkers) Kestel. She had three brothers, Jimmy, Joe and John.

She lived all her life on the family farm in Marcus Township, Cherokee County, taking care of her mother who was not well, farm work, housekeeping and cooking. Mary graduated from Holy Name School in Marcus in 1973.

Mary was a member of Holy Name Catholic Church in Marcus where she served as a Eucharistic Lay Distributor in church and also to the homebound for many years. She also assisted in Holy Day seasonal decorating at the church. She was a member of St. Ann’s Guild, taking care of mailing greeting cards to those who required them, and was also a member of Catholic Daughters.

For several years, Mary Ann helped work at the arts and crafts booth at the Marcus Fair. She will long be remembered as having a heart of gold, willing to help anyone and being a kind person.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Doris Kestel; her brothers, Jimmy, Joe and John; her aunt, Vera and her husband Eugene Noonan; and an uncle, Fr. Edmund Kestel OSB.