Marilyn Krutsinger

Services for Marilyn Krutsinger, 80, of Pleasant Hill, will be held on Friday, February 20, 2026 at Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Chariton at 11:30 a.m. A visitation will be held prior to the service starting at 10:30 a.m. The family invites friends to join them for a luncheon following the service at the funeral home. Marilyn will be laid to rest at Mt. Zion cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the family for them to set up a memorial in Marilyn's honor to the Iowa State Fair which was one of her favorite places.

Marilyn was born on April 14, 1945 to Henry and Sarah Darlene Greif in Des Moines, Iowa. She attended Johnston High School graduating in 1963. She took pride in playing basketball and being crowned homecoming queen her senior year. Marilyn was very involved in 4-H sewing, cooking, woodworking and showing cattle and was later a 4-H leader.

After graduating, she married her first husband Robert Crees, Jr. The couple were blessed with two daughters, Valerie and Sonya.

In 1976, Marilyn married Stanley Krutsinger and they were blessed with a daughter, Becky.

Marilyn and Stanley ran the Kent Feed Store in Woodburn before moving to Chariton in 1979. In Chariton she worked at Gambles, The Chef, National Bank & Trust. Marilyn also sold Avon and Longaberger for several years. She and Stanley also owned and operated The Big Dipper ice cream store in Chariton. She then worked at Principal Financial in Des Moines, Iowa. She and Stanley moved to Pleasant Hill after the girls graduated high school. After retiring from Principal, she was a bus aide at Southeast Polk school district.

Marilyn had many talents including cooking, gardening, canning, stained glass and crafting. She was an amazing seamstress making clothing and costumes for the children; doll clothing and her specially created hot pads to sell at craft shows.

Marilyn's traditions and legacy live on in the hands that craft, the gardens that bloom and grow, the meals shared around a table and the family bonds she worked so hard to nurture.

On February 10, 2026, Marilyn passed away at the Ramsey Village in Des Moines after longtime illnesses. Preceding her in death were her parents and brother, Melvin Greif.

Marilyn will be deeply missed by her husband of 49 years, Stanley Krutsinger; her daughters: Valerie (Kelly) Egen, Sonya (Kenny) Gwinn and Becky Krutsinger (Frank Blair); six grandchildren: Alex (Megan) Egen, Olivia Egen (Parker Arnold), Ivan Egen (Paige Thill), Mallory (Jarrod) Kromray, Levi Gwinn (Tenley Williams) and Sarah (Phil) Townsend; eight great grandchildren: Sophie, Eleanor, Gus, Charlie, Arlo, Kashdon, Oaklie and Stetson; sister, Marlene (Denny) Heggen; sister-in-law, Rose Greif; and many other extended family and friends.