Marcetta Perry, or “Cetta” as she was called by many, passed away at the Evan’s Memorial Home on January 11, 2023, one month shy of her 101st birthday. She was born to Roy and Bertha Ashley on February 12, 1922 in rural southern Iowa. She and her older brother, Edgar experienced loss at an early age with the death of their younger sister, Wilma to Scarlet Fever when Marcetta was only seven years old. That loss shaped her life and gave her a deep appreciation for family and nature. She graduated from Eddyville High School where she met and later married Albert Perry, her love of 68 years. Marcetta showed her love throughout her life in many ways, always making family her priority. She took Normal Training and became a teacher in a one-room school teaching kindergarten through eighth grade. Marcetta always felt her job was to help the students who were struggling the most. She was proud to be a part of the war effort by working at the Turner Company in Cedar Rapids, during WWII. Her job was to grind crystals to precise frequencies to be used in microphones and communications. This job earned her the title of “Eagle Eye”. After marrying Albert, in 1945 they began their life together living in West Des Moines for two years where they started a family. Shortly after marriage she cared for her widowed sister in-law and was a guardian to her twin niece and nephew. Later they moved to Cedar Rapids, where they would spend the next 48 years. In 1999 they retired to Cresco and greatly enjoyed the small town life. She also shared her love by baking cakes for all occasions, decorating each with personalized pictures that became a small work of art. Every year at Christmas time her family looked forward to receiving their own special container of her famous chocolate chip cookies and fudge. Marcetta loved to sew and made many cute outfits for her grandchildren. She also showed love by journaling every day which chronicled not only her life but also the family. She loved to record family life in precisely labeled photo albums and scrapbooks. She will always be remembered for her warm smile and nurturing sunny personality.
Marcetta is survived by two daughters, Marsha Kerr of Eaton, Ohio and Marilynn (Dennis) Fisher of Decorah, Iowa, four grandchildren: Jason Kerr of Elkhart, Indiana, Tanya (Mark) Zohs of Rotorua, New Zealand, Aaron (Renee) Kerr of Eaton, Ohio and Nathan (Jessica) Fisher of St. Clair, Missouri, four great-grandsons: Ethan, Adam and Daniel Zohs, Nathan Fisher Jr., and a great-granddaughter, Abigail Fisher.
She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Albert, her sister and brother and a son-in-law Ken Kerr.
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