Marlys E. Sowers

A visitation for Marlys Sowers will be held on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m., at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Milo. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family.

Marlys Elizabeth (Hirsch) Sowers was born February 22, 1948, in New Hampton, the daughter of Harold and Corrine (Deetz) Hirsch. She attended school in both country schools and Plainfield and graduated from the Fredricksburg High School.

On August 14, 1965, Marlys married the love of her life, Jeff Sowers. To this union, four children were born: Tony, Eric, Neil, and Sara. Marlys primarily stayed home to care for and nurture her children and grandchildren, but worked at various jobs over the years to help support the family.

In 1980, Jeff and Marlys left their home in Northern Iowa and set roots in the Milo area. Marlys was always grateful for the kindness of the Southeast Warren Community and how her family was so warmly welcomed. Marlys was an active member of the community teaching many 4-H members and school children the art of basketry. You could often find her cheering on her children and later on her grandchildren at many sporting events throughout the years. She rarely missed her grandchildren’s sporting events or activities.

Marlys was always known to be active, loving, and a truly kind soul. Unless she was weaving a basket, sewing or knitting, you would rarely find Marlys sitting. She loved being in nature: gardening, harvesting willow, planting and pruning Christmas trees and walking her dogs around the property. She and Jeff worked hard to grow their business, Pinicon Farm Crafts. Marlys truly loved creating things with her hands, especially with materials that she could harvest herself. She shared her love of basketry with many, many of her students, her children and her grandchildren. She would always tease her grandchildren about being a “famous basket maker”, which would lead to smiles and eye rolls. Marlys looked forward to spending time with her family every August at the Iowa State Fair. You could find her at Pioneer Hall selling and demonstrating her baskets.

Her family meant everything to her. She played an active role helping raise her grandchildren throughout the years; babysitting, running grandkids to activities, getting kids on and off the bus and making after school snacks. Marlys always found ways to stay connected with her extended family through various social media platforms. She was so loved and will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Marlys passed away Thursday, January 26, 2023, at University of Iowa Hospital, in Iowa City, at the age of 74 years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jeff; parents, Harold and Corrine Hirsch; sister, Shirley Crooks; and brother-in-law, Carl (Shirley) Crooks.

Those left to cherish Marlys’s memory include her children: Tony Sowers of Milo, Eric (Leona) Sowers of Milo, Neil (Christy) Sowers of Pleasantville, and Sara (Justin) Geisler of Milo; grandchildren: Mike, Liz, Nathan, Andie, Josie, Natalie, and Allie; great-grandchildren: Briella, Liam, Gracie, Ryan, Ellie, and Sophia; three brothers: Terry Hirsch of Fredericksburg, Kevin Hirsch of Waucoma and Myron (Deb) Hirsch of Mabel, Minnesota; two sisters, Ellanor (Russell) Phillips of Frederika and Renae (Jim) Farrell of Boyd; along with many nieces and nephews.