Memorial
Marcia Ann Osborn, age 76, of Iowa City, and formerly of Cedar Rapids and Centerville, passed away peacefully into the arms of her Savior, while being held by her beloved daughter, Allison, on Monday morning, February 24, 2025. After suffering a stroke, Marcia worked earnestly to recover at the University of Iowa Medical Center Downtown, but the severity of complications was too much for her body to overcome.
Marcia was born on November 20, 1948, in Cedar Rapids, IA to Walter and Donna (Nelson) Cope. She was the second child of six born to Walter and Donna. When Marcia was ten, the family moved to Eldon, IA due to her father’s job with the Rock Island Railroad. In 1967, Marcia graduated from Cardinal High School in Eldon. She was both a talented athlete and musician, competing in basketball, track and field, and playing the flute and saxophone. After high school, Marcia attended Centerville Community College and graduated from Ottumwa Beauty Academy.
Marcia was an incredibly motivated and talented young woman who opened and operated her own business, The Pink Boutique, a full-service beauty salon, when she was only twenty-two years old. During that time, Marcia’s cousin and best friend, Linda Parks and her husband Gene, introduced Marcia to David Reid, a Linn County Deputy Sheriff. They married on February 6, 1972, at the First Christian Church in Eldon, IA. Later that year, they welcomed their son, Scott Alan Reid, and made their home in Cedar Rapids. In 1980, they were blessed with another child, their daughter, Allison Kaye Reid.
In 1991, her husband passed away and Marcia faced many challenges as a single-parent. With the help of her faith in God, she navigated her young children through insurmountable circumstances as the fearless matriarch that she was. Marcia went back to school and graduated from Mount Mercy College in 1995 with a B.S. in Elementary Education. From there, Marcia taught 3rd grade at Van Buren Elementary school in Cedar Rapids for over a decade. Her favorite subjects to teach were reading and writing, as she was known for her beautiful cursive penmanship, engaging storytelling, and ability to aid all students in their reading goals. Marcia was a life-long learner and went on to earn her Master of Education degree from Graceland University in 2004. Shortly thereafter, Marcia married Timothy Osborn and they moved to Centerville, IA to be close to her extended family.
Throughout the years, Marcia was active in many churches including Maranatha Bible Church and New Covenant Bible Church in Cedar Rapids, Grace Tabernacle in Centerville, and most recently, Our Redeemer in Iowa City. She taught countless Sunday School and Bible classes, Wednesday night church groups, and coordinated many weeks of VBS.
Marcia was a skilled sewer and quilter, making countless dresses, pajamas, pillows, blankets and pillowcases for her beloved grandchildren, along with purses, bags, and table linens for her friends and family. This was one way Marcia showed her love for others, by sharing her creative gifts. Marcia loved playing games with her family, most specifically, word games, and could challenge anyone to a rousing game of Scrabble. Everyone would have to watch out for her mastery of the English language combined with a Triple Word Score! Marcia was also fond of garage sales, thrifting, and finding a good deal on fabric or books, as reading was one of her very favorite pastimes. One could always find Marcia cheering in the stands at her son’s football games, her daughter’s musical performances, and her grandchildren’s activities. She sacrificed to make sure her daughter continued with her piano lessons and was there to help Allison set up her first music classroom when she began teaching. She loved that her grandchildren reminded her of her son Scott, whom she desperately missed, in both personality and athleticism. She celebrated their achievements including her granddaughter’s skill in track and field (shot put/discus), just like her son, Scott, and she herself in high school. Did you know her best throw as a senior was 32 feet 5 inches?
Most of all, Marcia cherished her family and had a heart for others. She was a people person who could talk to anyone and would actively seek to make others feel welcome and included. She was bubbly and funny, telling jokes to everyone, even in her final days. She wore her heart on her sleeve and took joy in loving others. Marcia loved going out for ice cream, cuddling with her grandkids, catching up with her beloved siblings, meeting new people, and sharing her love for Jesus.
Left to cherish her memory is her daughter, Allison Haack and husband Ryan, of Iowa City, her grandchildren Rachel, James, Eli, and Toby Haack of Iowa City, Jessica and Ashley Reid of Blaine, MN, her former daughter-in-law, Candace Reid of Blaine, MN, as well as four brothers, Tom (Brenda) Cope of Bloomfield, IA, Don (Kathy) Cope of Floris, IA, Bill (Vickie) Cope of Fremont, IA, and Jim (Margaret) Cope of Drakesville, IA, one sister, Amy (Theresa) Cope of Bloomington, IN, eleven nieces and nephews, and many loving cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Donna Cope, her first husband, David Reid and second husband, Timothy Osborn, and her beloved son, Scott Reid.
Visitation will be held from 2:00 to 5:00 PM on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home: 4200 1st Ave NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, March 3, 2025, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Iowa City: 2301 E Court Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52245. A visitation will be held beginning at 09:30 AM at the church. A private burial will be held at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.