Marie Book Mealiff

Marie Book Mealiff was born October 7, 1927 in Storm Lake, Iowa. She graduated from high school there in 1945. She attended the University of Iowa her freshman year and then transferred to Iowa State College and completed her degree in home economics in 1950. She spent six months in Holland as an international farm youth exchange participant in 1950. Marie married Lester Charles Mealiff BS Agr '51 in June of 1951 and they moved to Humboldt, Iowa where both had accepted teaching positions in the Humboldt school system.

Marie stayed home after their first daughter was born and then was a full time mom as the next four daughters arrived. She was very active in the local United Methodist Church as well as the Republican Party. She was a 4-H leader for many years receiving the Iowa state 4-H alumni award in 1968. She had a green thumb and her garden was the envy of the community as it still is today. The Mealiffs moved to West Des Moines in 1972 after Les changed jobs in the banking industry and the legacy began... with all five daughters graduating from Iowa State University from 1973 to 1987.

Terri Ellen Mealiff BA Journalism and Mass Communications 1973; Cyndee Mealiff Johnson BS Industrial Administration 1976; Jennifer Mealiff Mclellan BA Interior Design 1979; Stephanie Mealiff Mesick BS Home Economics 1981; Wendy Mealiff Current BBA General Management 1987.

After their daughters were raised and in conjunction with her work at Wesley Acres Retirement Services Marie completed a second degree in health care administration from DMACC. Marie retired in April 1994 from Wesley Acres Retirement Services after nearly 20 years where she had been both Administrator and Special Assistant to the President. She is still very active in her church serving on the administrative board and building committee as well as being a member of the Iowa Board of Global Ministries (an arm of the United Methodist Church). She was awarded the "Chairperson of the Year" honor by the United Methodist Health and Welfare Association. She was awarded the Francis Lockner Humanitarian Award by the State Chapter of the Iowa Association of Homes For the Aging in 1993. We her daughters hope this honor speaks for itself and adds publicly to our private admiration of a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and citizen.

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