Marlene Altemeier, age 85, of Gilman, died on Friday, December 29, 2017 at Grinnell Regional Medical Center. A funeral service will be held 10:00 a.m., Friday, January 5, 2018, at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell with Pastor Jim Dotson officiating. Interment will be in Chester Cemetery north of Grinnell. A reception will be held at the Eagles Club in Grinnell. Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Smith Funeral Home and her family will greet friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday evening. Memorials may be designated to the American Cancer Society and may be mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared online with her family at www.smithfh.com. Helen Marlene Edwards was born the daughter of McKinley Roy Edwards and Mary Anna Swartzendruber on June 17, 1932, in Wellman, Iowa. She was raised and educated near Kalona and Newton respectively. The family later moved to Newburg, where she graduated from high school in 1950. Marlene was united in marriage to Clarence Dwane Altemeier on June 3, 1951, at the Congregational Church in Newburg by the Rev. Homer Perry. The couple lived in the Newburg area and Marlene was a homemaker. In 1968, they moved to a farm near Newton, where together they operated a dairy farm. She was later employed at Midwest Manufacturing in Kellogg and at Hy-Vee in Newton. Marlene's family always came first. She was a provider to many. She loved being outdoors and enjoyed life on the farm. Her enjoyments included going camping, trail riding on mules with Dwane, reading, writing stories, and baking. She will be remembered for the love of her family and dogs, for being spunky, and having a great sense of humor. Marlene is survived by her daughters, Cindy Aikin of Gilman, Cathy (Jeff) Gilliland of Rose Hill, Iowa, and Cheryl (Dennis) Nolin of Reasnor, Iowa; son, Kevin Altemeier of Des Moines; 13 grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren; and siblings, Donna Farland of Waukee, Iowa and Jackie (George) Graham of Grinnell. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Dwane in 2003; grandson, Connor Gilliland; and brother, Joseph McKinley Edwards.