Marlene Marie Reid

Marlene Marie Reid

New London

Marlene Marie Reid, 87, of New London, died at her home on a warm Sunday afternoon, August 11, 2024. She was born February 3, 1937 the second born of the first set of triplets in Henry County, Marilyn being first and Marston bringing up the rear to Chauncey Samuel and H. Marie Williams Wilmeth at the Memorial Hospital in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.

She, Marilyn and Marty were raised in Salem, and everywhere they went they were an instant attraction! She has many pictures from the papers of the “Wilmeth Triplets” doing something… playing at the park, eating ice cream cones in Mount Pleasant…they were raised poor, but oh so happy!

Marlene graduated from Salem High School in 1955 and married Larry Lee Reid on June 12, 1955 at the Salem Methodist Church. She and Larry were married for almost 56 years when he died on March 14, 2011 and every time she talked about him until the day she died, she cried.

Marlene settled into the life of homemaker and farm wife well. She couldn’t boil water when she first got married but became an incredible cook, so much so that with the help of her friend Marcy, put together a cookbook “Bake ‘Til Bubbly” which had many editions. She gave away more than she ever sold! She took great pride in her daughters’ appearances, buying the best of clothing and making sure their hair was always trimmed and permed… damn those home perms and short bangs!

She loved to mow, and the farm was always pristine; she had a huge garden, many fruit trees, and of course strawberries galore! She made more strawberry pies in her lifetime than anyone we know. She enjoyed cooking and baking, reading, being outdoors and shopping! Oh, how she loved shopping!

She was a member of the New London United Methodist Church and at one time she belonged to the LT Club, Medius Club and was in the Sarah Circle. She and Larry loved to camp at Old Threshers and enjoyed driving their antique John Deere tractors in the cavalcade at noon every day of the event. She especially loved it when grandchildren would come and drive one!

Marlene was generous, funny, kind, and sometimes way too truthful, but she was ours and she will be missed beyond measure.

She leaves behind daughters, Katherine (Wayne) Brumwell of Yarmouth, Kay (Ken) Denning of Mount Pleasant, Koni (Joe) Lounsbury of New London; grandchildren, Crenna Brumwell, Larry Cullen (Sarah) Brumwell, Corbin (Sarah) Brumwell, Bree (John) Clark, Nicole (Chase) McCarty, Keith (Niki) Denning, Blayne (Autumn) Magdefrau, Hannah (Levi) Wagner, Olivia (Todd) Barton, Addie (Jeff) Comegy, Grant and Sophie Lounsbury; a couple dozen great-grandchildren with another on the way; her treasured brother, Marty (Lou Ann) Wilmeth of Arlington, TX; cousins; nieces and nephews; and a host of good, good friends. Besides her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her dear step-father Emile Englehart; triple sister Marilyn; and grandson Nicholas Denning.

Funeral services for Marlene will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, August 16, at Elliott Chapel, New London. Rev. David Mixon will officiate with burial next to her beloved husband immediately following at Burge Cemetery, rural New London. Friends may call after noon on Thursday at the chapel with the family present from 5 to 7 p.m. Memorials have been established for the New London United Methodist Church, New London Rescue Unit and EveryStep Hospice. Online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com.

Her family would like to thank the many friends who have helped us along the way on Mom’s final journey. Jeri Willingham will always be on the top of the list… along with Ron and Claudia Coberley, Karla Denning, Teresa Dameron and the amazing women at EveryStep Hospice, who helped make her final wish to die at home possible. And finally, thanks to her Westgate neighbors who welcomed her with open arms, loved and looked out for her.