Memorial
Martha Triebel, 91, of West Des Moines, formerly of Fairfax, died January 23, 2019 after a long illness. Martha was born on the family farm in Marion on October 6, 1927 to Irvin and Vivian (Little) Kemp. She graduated from Marion High School in 1945 and attended 2 years at Iowa State University studying Home Economics. She married George Triebel on October 20, 1962. They resided near Fairfax for 33 years before moving to the Methwick Community in Cedar Rapids. Martha moved to Urbandale in 2005 to be closer to her daughter, Dr. Beth Triebel. She enjoyed working as a bookkeeper at Farmers State Bank, Iowa Electric Light and Power and for Weight Watchers after achieving her goal weight. She also enjoyed being able to do many types of volunteering through the years at College Community Schools, Fairfax Public Library, St. Lukes Hospital, Methwick Community, and Unity Point Hospice.
Martha loved being a homemaker and mother. Her daughter Beth was her pride and joy. She also enjoyed decorating and designing homes, gardening, bowling and travel. Some highlights included dogsledding in Alaska, seeing baby sea lions in the Galapagos Islands and researching genealogy in Massachusetts.
She is survived by her daughter Dr. Beth Triebel of West Des Moines and her sister Joyce Oberman (Dick) of Iowa City. Martha was preceded in death by her parents, her husband George, a sister, Betty Lou Palmer of Corydon and an infant daughter, Jill Failor.
A visitation will be held from 12:00-1:00 pm on Monday January 28, 2019 at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories, with a funeral service to follow at 1:00 pm. Interment will follow at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.
Memorials may be given to the Carver Family Center for Macular Degeneration Research at the University of Iowa Foundation.