Marsha Lynn Ashby

Marsha Lynn Ashby (68) was born on December 22, 1957, in Davenport, Iowa, and passed away peacefully on January 21, 2026.

Marsha was the daughter of Robert and Marvella (Reedy) Brus, the youngest of their four children. She was raised in Blue Grass, Iowa; her first seven years on the family farm, and the remainder in town. She graduated from Davenport West High School in 1976.

In 1973, Marsha met David Ashby when she was 15 years old. After that, neither of them would ever date anyone else. They married on July 17, 1976, at St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church in Davenport. They would have been married 50 years this summer. They raised their two children, Victoria and Steven, in Davenport. Marsha began her 35-year federal government career at the Rock Island Arsenal in October 1976 as a Secretary Stenographer.

Throughout her career she established her reputation as a hard worker. She took advantage of training opportunities to advance beyond the clerical career fields. At the time of her retirement in 2011 she was a Logistics Management Specialist.

Marsha had many, many talents. She created stunningly beautiful, knitted and crocheted afghans. She was a seamstress and for many years made most of her own clothes. She earned a blue ribbon at the Mississippi Valley Fair for a bedspread and canopy set she sewed for Vicki’s bed. She was also musically talented. Not only did she play the piano and organ, but she began playing cello in grade school and continued on to play in the high school orchestra. For many years she maintained a 170+ bowling average in several different leagues. She participated in the women’s national bowling tournament for 21 years.

Following her retirement, she spent many hours researching the genealogy of both her and David’s families. She traced her own family back to the 1500s and then traced David’s back to the 1600s. Her other hobbies were scrapbooking and photography. She loved attending her grandchildren’s many activities. She was a life member of American Legion Auxiliary Post 711 in Blue Grass.

Marsha is survived by her husband David, children Victoria DeWispelaere (Jeff) and Steven (Christie), grandchildren, Ashley, Nathan, Jacob, and Matthew DeWispelaere, Marlina and Mason Ashby, and Alec and Joshua (Kailee) Bruce, sisters Linda Duffy and Rhonda Golden. Immediate family members who preceded her in death are her parents Robert and Marvella Brus, parents-in-law Ernie and Dorothy Ashby, and her brother Terry Brus.

Marsha’s family wants to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to the staff at Country Manor Memory Care, Davenport. Marsha was a resident there for 14 months and, after a brief hospital stay, also for her hospice care. The care they provided was exceptionally kind and provided with genuine caring and patience.

Memorials to honor Marsha may be made to Country Manor Memory Care (900 W. 46th St., Davenport, IA 52806) or Tunnel to Towers Foundation (t2t.org), a cause which Marsha generously supported.

Services will be held at Runge Mortuary, Davenport on Saturday, January 31. Visitation will be at 10:00 AM with funeral service immediately following at 12:00 PM. Burial will follow at Blue Grass Cemetery.