White Funeral Home
400 First Street West
Independence, Iowa 50644

INDEPENDENCE – Marie Anne Vanous, 96 years old, of Independence, Iowa, died of natural causes, Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Prairie Hills Assisted Living in Independence, Iowa.

Celebration of Life Services will be 6:30 p.m. – Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at White Funeral Home, Independence, where there will be public visitation from 4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Private family burial will be Thursday, January 15, 2026, in the Czech National Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Marie was born July 23, 1929, in rural Linn County near Ely, Iowa, the daughter of George and Mary (Marousek) Sebetka. She attended school and was a proud graduate of the Alburnett High School class of 1947. On October 15, 1950, she was united in marriage to Edward Wencil Vanous in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They made their home near Swisher, Iowa, before moving to Rowley, Iowa, in 1957, where a farm had come up for sale. Farming was life and Marie worked alongside her husband all their married lives. Marie raised chickens and sold eggs. Together they raised their five children, Karen, Carol, Donald, John, and Brian. In 1978, Ed and Marie moved to Independence, and Marie stayed active babysitting, volunteering, traveling, and spending time with family.

Marie was proud to be a farm wife, and she was proud of her Czech heritage. She was hardworking and frugal, finding multiple uses for everything. She enjoyed baking and always fed her family well. When Ed was in the field, he always had a full cooler. Marie loved music and she liked to dance, often going to Dance Land in Cedar Rapids. She’d always have WMT on the radio, and when you stopped by you could expect a sweet treat and a warm cup of coffee. Later in life, Marie and Ed loved to travel and enjoyed stopping at the casino a time or two – always, “breaking even.” They loved their family and instilled in them the value of hard work and the joy of being together.

Marie is survived by one daughter, Carol Kitzman of Swisher, Iowa; two sons, Don (Julie) Vanous of Rowley, Iowa, Brian (Anita) Vanous of Quasqueton, Iowa; 13 grandchildren; many great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She is also survived by one sister-in-law, JoAnn Sebetka.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Edward; one sister, Lucille Brown; one brother, Robert Sebetka; one daughter, Karen Vanous; one son and his wife, John and Cheryl Vanous; daughter-in-law, Penny Vanous; and son-in-law, Fred Kitzman

Memorials may be directed to the Czech National Cemetery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Condolences may be placed at www.White-MtHope.com.
White Funeral Home, Independence, Iowa, is in charge of arrangements.