Marilyn P. Kahler was born April 26, 1924, in Pilot Grove, Montgomery County, Iowa, and passed away suddenly on December 20, 2018 after a fall. Her parents were Elmer L. Kasch and Flora Mae (Johnson) Kasch. Marilyn (Mary) grew up on the family farm with her three sisters and one brother. She graduated from Elliott, Iowa High School and Van Sant School of Business in Omaha where she worked and lived until she met her future husband, William E. (Red) Kahler. They were married at First Presbyterian Church in Omaha on April 15, 1950 and moved to Minden where she joined the Minden United Church of Christ. They had one daughter, Kathy Jean, and she also welcomed a stepson, Dennis. She and Bill owned and operated Kahler Garage and Minden Farm Equipment until he retired in 1978. They enjoyed traveling, dancing, bowling, Minnesota fishing trips andgolfing in Iowa and Arizona. She was an avid reader all her life, loved working crossword puzzles and word games, was a proud 30+ year volunteer at Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, loved to play bridge and watch football or golf on television. After losing her husband in 2006 she thoroughly enjoyed traveling with her daughter.

In 2015, she moved to St. Louis to be closer to her daughter and son-in-law. She formed many strong friendships in her new home and was the founding member of the Brookdale Golden Girls. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her sisters (Betty DeWitt and Beryl Kasch) and her brother (Gordon Kasch). She is survived by her daughter, Kathy Kirkpatrick (Gene) of St. Louis; stepson Dennis Kahler (Shirley) of Minden; sister, Marge Thielen of Omaha; sisters-in-law Eleanore Kasch and Lois Kahler of Council Bluffs; three grandchildren: Tracey Fox (Kevin) of Minden, Todd Kahler of Austin,Texas, and Lee Kirkpatrick (Cassandra) of Chicago; four great grandchildren: Alexandra Booth (Victor) of Austin, Texas, andHannah, Peyton and Sierra Fox of Minden plus many, many other cherished relatives and friends. Her cheerful attitude and happy personality will be missed by many. A celebration of life and burial will be held at a later date in Minden, Iowa. “Let nothing disturb thee. Let nothing dismay thee. All things pass. God never changes. Patience attains all that is strived for. He who has God finds he lacks nothing. God alone suffices.”