Marie Adkins

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     Marie Elizabeth Keuter was born to Esther Margaret (Laubscher) and Ambrose Jerome Keuter on November 5, 1939. She was born on the Laubscher farm in rural Dow City, Iowa and her grandmother, Marie Laubscher, helped Esther with the delivery. Marie lived with her parents and younger brother Jack in a little house in Dunlap, Iowa. Her dad was an auto mechanic until he entered the Army. He died during service in WWII when Marie was about 6 years old. Esther remarried to Virgil M Olson, providing a stepdad to Marie and Jack as well as a half-sister, Joyce. The family first rented a farm between Dow City and Dunlap, and they always lived in the Dunlap to Soldier, Iowa areas. Marie attended grade school in Dunlap, junior high in Soldier and high school in Ute, Iowa. She worked at Culp’s Sweets Shop in Ute, boarding with an elderly woman in Ute during the week to do so. Marie met William “Bill” Seufert while attending high school. She was clear that they did not meet at the Sweet Shop because, “Those boys didn’t have any money for a coke.” They became engaged and Marie attended classes to become a Catholic. They were married on June 7, 1957, in Ute. They lived in several small towns and rural settings in Iowa including Lenox, Battle Creek, Arion, Defiance, Manilla and finally settled more permanently in Denison, Iowa. Marie and Bill raised five children Clayton, Lorri, Brenda, Jill and Monica.

     Marie babysat when the children were young, often finding that feeding some children negated any potential earnings. She worked as a salad girl at Jo Mart Steakhouse in Denison and as a hostess at the Red Lantern Steakhouse. Marie became the first Meter Maid in Denison, checking for expired parking meters and issuing tickets. She was very proud of this job. When the meters were discontinued, she became a dispatcher for the Denison Police Department. After her retirement Marie would go on to be a residential care giver at Job Corps and then for people with developmental disabilities through WESCO Industries. Marie retired from the police department to be with Bill while he battled cancer. On Nov 8, 1995, Bill passed away. She moved from the home they had shared to a home a half block away. Marie met David Adkins when he flirted with her at a grocery store. They began dating and married on Oct 3, 2006. They lived on Dave’s farm in rural Dunlap. They enjoyed traveling together, going out to breakfast and the company of family. Her connection with David added four bonus children and grandchildren to Marie’s brood. Marie was widowed again with David’s death on Nov 8, 2012. She later moved to Woodbine, Iowa, pursuing a sense of country on the outskirts of town. Marie had always enjoyed pets, cats and pups. Her shih-tsu Paxton kept her company in rural Dunlap and moved with her to Woodbine.

     Marie died on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at her home in Woodbine at the age of 85 years, five months and seven days.

     Marie is preceded in death by her father; mother; stepfather; two husbands; daughter, Brenda Steffens; brother, Jack Keuter; sister, Joyce Olson; and daughter-in-law, Nancy Seufert. She leaves behind her children, Clayton Seufert, Lorri Seufert, Jill (Keith) Simons, Monica (Donnie) Wilson; sisters-in-law, Phillis Keuter, Joanne Seufert, Mary Ellen Burke and Donna Seufert; many grandchildren, great grandchildren and one great great grandchild; as well as nephews, nieces, cousins and good friends.