Mary Marcia Cerven

Mary “Marcia” Cerven, 92, of Coralville, formerly of Corning, passed away at her home at Grand Living Bridgewater in Coralville, to be with her Lord, Nov. 4, 2023. Funeral Services will be 11 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 800 17th Street, Corning, with Pastor Daryl Tompkins officiating. Family will receive friends 10-11 a.m., prior to the service. Burial will be in Prairie Rose Cemetery south of Corning. Pearson Family Funeral Service & Cremation Center of Corning is in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to the Redeemer Lutheran Church – Corning or Compassus Living Foundation - Hospice – Cedar Rapids, in her name. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.pearsonfuneralhomes.com

Mary Marcia Cerven was born Feb. 21, 1931, the daughter of Henry and Gladys Bycroft at her home in Holt Township No 3 in Taylor County - also the home of her father Henry Bycroft. She attended a one-room school two miles south of her home for many years. Many stories were told of the riding adventures with her brother, Ronald and her horse, Major, to school. She moved to Corning schools in town in 1945 and lived with her grandparents. School buses were limited and walking from the bus stop across two miles of fields was the only way to get home.

She attended Grinnell College after high school and received her elementary education degree in 1953 and then taught third grade in Cedar Rapids at Kenmore Elementary for one year. On Sept. 12, 1954, she married Orville Dale Cerven of Gravity. She taught in New Market schools for two years before they moved to Adams County, Lincoln Township, where they farmed for 50 plus years before Dale’s 2004 retirement. She found great appreciation for Lowell Evans and John Shuler who managed and included her in the farming operations.

Marcia was continually active in church life at a young age from Fairview Congregational Church south of Corning (no longer present), to Oak Hill Church (after marriage), to Lincoln Center (Adams County Lincoln Township), to her Redeemer Lutheran church family in Corning. She became a pianist at Oak Hill and continued this piano and organ work, which included many years playing at Strand Lutheran Church (Villisca country church). Marcia “loved” her Redeemer Lutheran church family and was very active in LWML until her Iowa City move. Marcia was all about family and friends and her faith. Psalm 23 was her “go to” verse in life.

Four children were born to Marcia and Dale: Ed, Vicki, Judith and Diane. In 1976 Dale and Marcia hosted a Finland exchange student and they loved sharing those memories. For a couple of years, they also hosted two foster girls who needed a temporary home. Marcia taught in the Corning Schools from 1985 to 2003, very often as a substitute teacher and then full time teaching first grade. She loved her almost 20 years of teaching and “her kids” and beamed when those kids grew up and made a point to call to her on the street later in their lives.

In August 2019, she moved to Iowa City to be closer to her daughter, Diane. The friends she made at Grand Living at Bridgewater in Coralville helped her transition to a “non-farm” life. She loved her early morning breakfast circle, coffee club, journaling and bell choir groups as well.

Left to cherish many memories of Marcia are her children: Ed (Tresa) Cerven of Girard, Illinois, Vicki (Chuck) Cerven-Astell of Troy, Michigan, Judy Cerven of Cedar Hill, Texas, and Diane (Tom) Cerven-Jenn of Iowa City; grandchildren: Juleen (Kyle) Brumbaugh of Liberty, Missouri, Cassie (Kellen) Yoder of Tiffin; Ryan Jenn of Tiffin; Rochelle Cerven of Cedar Hill, Texas; Jennifer (Cerven) Davis of St. Joseph, Missouri, and many great-grandchildren.

Preceding her in death were her beloved husband, Orville Dale Cerven; brother Ronald Eugene Bycroft; her parents Henry and Gladys Bycroft; in-laws, Betty and Dean Cerven and Evelyn and Duane Cerven; close friends, Boyd and Wilma Schafer and very special friend, Wilma Anderson.