Memorial
Maria Leanne Parbs, 33, of Cedar Rapids, passed away on Monday, March 19, 2018, surrounded by her loving family. A memorial service will be on Thursday, March 22, 2018 at 2 P.M. at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories.
Maria was born on July 12, 1984; the daughter of Ronald and Shelley (Douglas) Parbs. She attended CPU school, participating in Show Choir and various athletics, graduating in 2002. 4H and dance were her hobbies outside of school, showing calves at the Benton County fair and taking lessons and performing in recitals at the Cooling Dance Center for 11 years. She graduated from Coe College in May of 2007 with a Bachelors in Nursing and in July landed her dream job in the NICU at UIHC, where she spent 10 years caring for the most critical babies. Maria was an avid Iowa Hawkeye and Chicago Cubs fan. She loved cows and dogs, reading, traveling with members of her NICU family, visiting her college roommates, golfing with Britney Hulshizer and hanging out with her family. Her shining smile will be missed by everyone.
Maria was preceded in death by her maternal grandmother Barbara Douglas, paternal grandfather Donald Parbs and cousin Brandon McCullough.
Left to cherish Maria’s memories are her parents, brother Jason Parbs, grandmother Barbara Parbs, aunts and uncles, 15 cousins, her UIHC NICU family, Coe college family, numerous other friends and her beloved French Bull dog Bernie.
A special thanks to Dr. Rasa Buntinas and ALL of the wonderful nurses and staff in the Oncology office at PCI and at St Lukes Hospice, The Dream Foundation(trip to Disney World) and Anthony Rizzo of the Chicago Cubs(personal letter, pictures and the phone call at Christmas).
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer or The Dream Foundation in Maria’s honor.