Marlena Maria Perez

Marlena (Nana) Salazar Perez; 53 of West Des Moines, Iowa passed on Friday, September 5, 2025, surrounded by her family. A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, September 12, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at McLarens Chapel. Her family will receive family and friends beginning at 4:00 p.m. A graveside burial at McLaren’s Resthaven Cemetery will be Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.

Marlena was born on March 7, 1972, in Des Moines, Iowa to Albert J. and Frances (Wanatee) Salazar. She graduated from Valley High School in 1990 and then went on to work at Farm Bureau for over twenty years, Nueces County helping vaccinate the City of Corpus Christi during Covid for a year, then worked at Equi Trust for two years.

She married her loving husband Joseph (Pepe) Perez Jr. on April 22, 2000, and was a proud mother to her two sons Anthony Salazar and Joseph Perez III. She became the mother to Lucielle Salazar after our dear sister Jean (Punkin) Salazar had passed away.

Marlena enjoyed playing soccer in her younger years. She also enjoyed her time on the beaches of Corpus Christi, Texas, kayaking, canoeing, and spending quality time with her family and friends. She loved her auntie role to her many nieces and nephews and being a grandma to Joseph Perez IV. She would do anything for anyone at a drop of a hat. Her spirit was a force of nature, happy go lucky and would light up a room with her beautiful smile. Her Meskwaki Indian name was ‘A-Qua-Gee-A-Duat,’ meaning little cloud trailing behind.

She is survived by her husband Joseph Perez II, her two sons Anthony Salazar and Joseph (Makenzie) Perez III, Lucielle Salazar and stepdaughters Josie Pritchard Shafer and Jacie Pritchard. Her sister Anita (Richard) Pinkerton, brother John (Pamela) Salazar, brother Albert (Christina) Salazar and brother Paul (Luanna) Salazar. Her Grandson Joseph Perez IV, along with many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Marlena was preceded in death by her parents Albert and Frances Salazar, sister, Jean ‘Punkin’ Garcia, brother, Darrell Salazar, and great niece, Josefina Mota.