Arlene Leone McGuire, 91, died May 1, 2015, at St. Luke’s Hospital, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Service: 1:00 p.m., Thursday, May 7, 2015, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home, 520 Wilson Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, with Pastor Del Bear officiating. Visitation: 4:00 – 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 6, 2015, at the funeral home. Burial: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.
Arlene was born April 28, 1924, in Cedar Rapids, to Carl and Leona (Marshall) Burger. She married Edward Junior McGuire on June 13, 1944, in Cedar Rapids. Together they opened the first coffee shop at the Linn County Courthouse in 1946. Arlene was “Rosie the Riveter” as her husband served in the Navy during WWII. Following the war, she was the loving mother of seven children and caregiver to her husband who lost both legs proudly serving our country.
She was a Christian woman with the heart of a servant. We pray that her strength, endurance and spirit will live on through her family who were blessed to have had her for so many years.
Arlene is survived by her children, Susan Shearer, Deborah (Kenneth) Glackin, Denise McGuire, Sheila (Joe) Anderson of Virginia and Tim McGuire; her grandchildren, Corey, Chris and Carrie Anderson and Ki and Kristian Shearer; seven great-grandchildren and her sister, Doris Akers. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward; her daughter, Pamela McGuire; her son, Shawn; and her siblings, Dean Burger and Phyllis Kelchner.
Memorials in Arlene’s name may be directed to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675, or online at
www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate
.