Darlene M. "Marie" Spinsby

        Darlene M. “Marie” Spinsby, 94, of LeClaire, Iowa, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, December 8, 2025. 

        Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 16th at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home, Bettendorf. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Private family burial will be at Glendale Cemetery, LeClaire. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family. 

        Marie was born on September 5, 1931 in Centerville, Iowa, the daughter of Wilbert and Dana (Wells) Brand. In 1948 she graduated from LeClaire High School. She married Kenneth L. Spinsby on November 22, 1952 at the First Presbyterian Church of LeClaire. She had worked at Alcoa, Farmall, Great River Bank, and was a bookkeeper for Naugle’s Appliance for over 20 years.Marie loved any type of needle work and enjoyed making lap robes and walker bags at Silver Creek Chapter #302 that were given to those who needed them, along with local nursing homes. She was an archivist and maintained extensive informational scrapbooks on family, friends, schools, and community. As for usual people of her generation, she kept letters, addresses, and phone numbers to keep in touch with relatives and friends. She loved history and relished her role on the Glendale Cemetery Board as the historian. Next to her family, the great Mississippi River was her favorite love. Having lived on the banks for over 84 years, she always stated that she had so much Mississippi mud between her toes, there was no other place she could live.

        Marie was a 63-year member of Silver Creek Chapter #302 Order of the Eastern Star, having served as Worthy Matron several times. She was also a member and past Queen of Pyramid Temple #10, and a member of Daughters of the Nile, where she served as Queen several times. 

       Those left to honor her memory are her grandson, Todd (Lorri) Snyder of St. James, Missouri; five great-grandchildren; and special friends and neighbors, Kelly (Cari) Rankin and Bambi (John) Rankin, all of LeClaire. 

       In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth; daughter, Darlene Merkel; and sister and brother-in-law, Nadene (Curtis) Brown.