MariAnn DeLong, 90, of Oelwein passed away Thursday October 24, 2024 at Oelwein Healthcare Center in Oelwein.  Visitation will be from 3:00-5:00 PM on Friday November 1, 2024 at the Geilenfeld-Buehner Funeral Home in Oelwein.  Private graveside services will be at Woodlawn Cemetery in Oelwein.   In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St Croix Hospice and Buchanan County Animal Shelter.  The family would like to give special thanks to the staff at Oelwein Healthcare Center and St. Croix Hospice for their compassionate care for their mother. 

MariAnn Shreve was born on July 3, 1934 in Oelwein, Iowa.  Her parents were Park and Doris (White) Shreve.  She graduated from Oelwein High School with the class of 1952.  On August 23, 1953 she was united in marriage to Norm DeLong at Grace United Methodist Church in Oelwein.

Norm and MariAnn settled on their acreage in 1968 where they raised their five children.  MariAnn enjoyed her gardens and all the animals that made their way to the acreage.  MariAnn was a homemaker and worked at Hallmark House of Cards for 25 years.  She and Norm loved to travel and made their way though many of the United States and took their dream vacation to Europe.  She was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan.  In 2005, she and Norm attended the Capital One Bowl with their son Steve where the enjoyed one of the most exciting Hawkeye victories.

MariAnn always supported her grandchildren in their extracurricular activities.  She loved her children and grandchildren immensely and loved to have a full house with all the family gathered.  Her sweet caring smile and gentle demeanor will be dearly missed by her family and all those who knew and continue to love her.

Left to celebrate MariAnn’s life are her children: Jeff (Juanita) DeLong of Oelwein, Ann Richards of Rochester, MN, JoBeth (Lee) Nehl of Hazleton and Lisa DeLong of Oelwein; her grandchildren: JoliAnn, Joshua, Jeremy, Rhiannon, Kate, Claire, Lydia, Luke and Lauren; her great-grandchildren: Jaxton, Avenly, Maura, Graham and Bennett.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her son Stephen DeLong; her son-in-law Brad Richards; her infant sister Gay Shreve.