Mary Kay Reser

Mary Kay Reser, 62, died at home on December 11, 2021 due to breast cancer. Services will be held at First Unitarian Church, 1800 Bell Ave. in Des Moines, IA on Saturday, December 18 at noon.

Mary Kay was born on March 15, 1959, to Dale and Ruth Reser in Fort Dodge, IA. She grew up as a middle child of nine in Des Moines and graduated from Dowling High School. She lived in Iowa City for ten years and there met the love of her life, Brian Browning. They married in 1987 and moved to Des Moines in 1990 where they raised their family of four children.

Mary Kay received an MBA from Iowa State University in 2005, and worked at Mercy, Principal Bank, and most recently Athene in Des Moines.

Family was always important to Mary Kay. She spent a lot of time with her folks and beating her siblings at various card games. She was very active in her kids’ organizations at Merrill, Hubbell, and Roosevelt schools. She was a Girl Scout Leader of three troops; organized and ran the best Hubbell Fest ever; and volunteered for PTA, band, vocal music, and drama, including working the concessions stand for many school plays and events. She loved to read and her house was full of books across a wide range of genres. She enjoyed playing bridge with friends and spent many evenings playing board games and Stardew Valley with her kids.

She was predeceased by her husband, Brian Browning; brothers, Doug, Joe and Larry; and her parents. Mary Kay is survived by children, Amelia, Lillian, Sam and Madeline; siblings, Roberta Shuey, Ed (Holly), Phil (Esther), John (Dawn), and Patti (Greg Joura); in-laws, Everett and Laurel Browning and Gene and Shiang Browning; nieces and nephews, Sara Tasler (Jim), Brian (Andrea), Abby (Joey Mertzig), Annie Reser-Moorehead (Clark), Aubrey Messerly (Mark), Jack, and Mick Joura.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family for distribution to First Unitarian Church and the Waveland Historical Trolley. Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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