Memorial
Maralene Lovelle James, age 85, passed away on October 31, 2026, in Marion, Iowa after a short illness and went Home to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Maralene was born on November 11, 1940, in Montezuma, Iowa. She was the first-born daughter of parents Delmar and Ruth James.
Maralene graduated from Washington High School and Hamilton Business College.
Maralene most recently attended Noelridge Christian Church, a church her parents helped establish as charter members in 1956. She was also a member of First Christian Church and Eastview Christian Church. Maralene had a strong faith throughout her life, that she often shared with others. She loved her family deeply and helped all of them in various acts of kindness.
In her early adult life, Maralene worked at Iowa Electric Light and Power Company. She also worked at Mercy Medical Center for over 20 years before retiring, greeting visitors arriving to visit patients and handling hospital communication systems.
Maralene was preceded in death by her only child, Chris Ewoldt, who passed away in 2012; her parents Delmar and Ruth James; her grandparents Irvan and Cora James and David and Bessie Gilbreaith.
Maralene is survived by her sisters, Bonne (John) Christenson of Simpsonville, South Carolina, and Dee Ann Thompson of Simpsonville, South Carolina; and by her nephew Eric (Amy) Christenson of Omaha, Nebraska, and nieces Heather Christenson (Catherine Leftely) of Austin, Texas, and Samantha Christenson (Jesse Calhoun) of West Monroe, Louisiana.
Funeral services will be held at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 2 p.m. with a private burial at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She will be buried next to her son.