Martha "Marky" Ann Yager

Marky was born on October 11, 1936, to Ralph August John Fischer and Anna Mathilde Bremer Fischer. Marky was the second of two daughters and grew up in Alma, MO with a deep sense of family and community.

Growing up in Alma, Marky enjoyed playing sports with the neighborhood kids. She excelled at stick ball, roller skating, biking among other activities. She also worked at her father’s pharmacy, often dishing up ice cream in which chocolate was her favorite. Being the 1950s, customers who wanted alcohol, would place their money on the counter, help themselves to the refrigerator and she would collect the money for the till. She enjoyed helping others and working with her father.

She attended Alma High School and later the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, where she earned her BS degree. During this time, one of her friends set her up on a double blind date with William “Bill” Yager, whom she married in June 1959. Together, they began their family, welcoming twins Kimberly and Michael.

The family moved to Council Bluffs area, where Marky taught school for a few years. After Bill fully retired from the Air Force, he moved the family in 1964-65 to Audubon County where he took over his family’s farming operation while Marky taught algebra in the Coon Rapids School District until the birth of their last child, Kristine. Marky would then focus on family, farming finances and substitute teaching while being active in the Audubon community at the ISU extension service, a gourmet dining club and as a scripture reader for Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church.

In the mid 1970s, Marky developed a love for golf, stating, “I was tired of sitting at home while Bill and Mike played.” Marky and Bill enjoyed golfing together combined with traveling to different areas of the country to enjoy this pastime. As empty nesters, they both transitioned to careers in real estate in the Des Moines area. Later, Marky decided to trade in her real estate license to work at the Principal Financial Group until her retirement.

During retirement, Marky and Bill relished playing cards, traveling around the country and overseas, golfing and gathering with family and friends. She was a caring mother and acted as teacher, mentor, and best friend and confidante to her children. She was always there to lend a guiding hand.

Preceding her in death are her parents, Ralph and Anna, and her husband Bill, who passed away in 2023. Marky is survived by her sister, Ruth Tempel of Vero Beach, FL as well as her children: Kimberly Kerr of Des Moines, Michael Yager of West Des Moines, and Kristine Yager-Rushton (Edward Rushton) of Statesboro, GA. She also leaves behind grandchildren, Miles (Katian) Kerr of Glendale, CA, Evan (Danielle Lewis) of Carlisle, and Erica Yager (Dylan Medina) of Des Moines, as well as one great-granddaughter, Murphy Kerr of Carlisle.

Marky aka, Mom, will be deeply missed but forever cherished in our hearts. Tributes and condolences may be made to the American Diabetes Association.

A funeral ceremony for Martha will be held Thursday, October 24, 2024 at 10:00 AM at McLaren's Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary & Resthaven Cemetery, 801 19th St, West Des Moines, Iowa 50265. Following, there will also be a graveside service at Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon, IA and a gathering for friends and family at Darrell’s Place in Hamlin, IA after the committal.