DeAnn "Dee" Marlett (Parker)

On Monday, November 9, 2020, DeAnn “Dee” Marlett (Parker), loving wife and mother of three children, passed away at the age of 58 after a hard-fought battle with a brain tumor.

Dee was born on December 11, 1961 in Aurora, IL to Sally Starmer (Parker) and the late Dale Parker. On June 20, 1997 she married Tom Marlett and together they raised three beautiful children, Nicole 21, Brandi, 20 and Neal, 17. The family are long-time residents of West Des Moines, Iowa.

Dee was a 1979 graduate of Mt. Pleasant Community High School and a 1983 Graduate of Central College in Pella. She was employed by Principal Financial for the past 14 years.

Dee was a beautiful spirit with a compassionate heart towards everyone she met. You were never a stranger to Dee and she was the first person to offer a hand if someone needed help. Her passion for life was contagious. The true love of her life was her family. She was an amazing wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend and we are all better for having her as a part of our lives.

Dee loved to bike and would spend many weekends with her husband Tom biking trails. Biking was her preferred mode of transportation and she would often bike to work. She also loved to scrapbook. Many memories are found within the beautiful books she created of treasured family moments. Dee loved adventure and the outdoors. Family vacations often involved camping or adventure trips to the boundary waters. Dee also had a talent for art from a very young age, a talent she passed along to her children.

As a strong person of faith, Dee and her family were long time members of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church and more recently attended Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines.

Dee is proceeded in death by her father, Dale Parker; and grandparents, Robert and Bulah Parker and Maxine Ihrer. She is survived by her husband, Tom; three children, Nicole, Brandi and Neal; her mother, Sally Starmer and step-father Barry Starmer; her sister, Dorene (Parker) MacVey (Kirk); brother, Derrick Parker (Heidi); step-sister, Mary-Alice Arnold (Randy); step-brother, John Starmer (Sheila); and in-laws, Edna and Gene Marlett; brother-in-law, Marc Marlett (Kristi); sister-in-law, Jana Marlett (Dave Zangerler). Dee also leaves behind her Ihrer and Parker cousins, and many nieces and nephews that were treasured family members to her.

Due to the pandemic, services will be private. Please join the family via live stream on Friday, November 20 at 11:00 a.m. via the link below. Next spring, a celebration of life will be planned in Dee’s honor. Donations are being received by the family to purchase a memorial for Dee at the Butterfly Gardens at Saylorville Lake. Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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