Annalee Buffington

Annalee Buffington, age 89, of Marshalltown, Iowa, passed away peacefully on the evening of July 20, 2025 at the Iowa River Hospice Home surrounded by her family.

Funeral services for Annalee will be held on Thursday, July 24, 2025 beginning at 10:30 A.M. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown, Iowa. She will be laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery in Marshalltown. For additional information or to send a condolence to the family please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234.

Annalee was born December 17, 1935 in Marshalltown, Iowa. She was one of three children, the only daughter born to John and Alice (Meyers) Freland. Annalee grew up in Marietta outside of Marshalltown and attended school in Albion, Iowa. During her high school career, she taught herself how to twirl baton and was the high school marching band’s twirler, she was always proud of that accomplishment along with the fact that she had once led the band in a five-mile parade. Additionally, while in school, she began her first job at Donnelly Corporation in Nevada, Iowa. She was a graduate from Albion High School Class of 1953.

On June 13, 1953, she married her high school sweetheart, M. Richard Buffington in Newton, Iowa. Together they built a home in the country close to her parent’s house which was a life long cherished memory of hers. She and Richard raised four children, Donna, Jodee, Jan, and Rod. She began working for Fisher Controls in Marshalltown in their customer service department. She would officially retire in 1999, but due to being such a great employee, she was called out of retirement off and on to help out when needed. Her Fisher coworkers became lifelong friends.

In her free time, Annalee loved to cook and bake. Food was her love language and she always had more than enough goodies to share with all who stopped by. Along with her baked goods, she had an abundance of chocolates — a self-proclaimed “chocolate lover”.

She enjoyed her time outdoors gardening and feeding the birds. She loved taking pictures of the wildlife and sharing them with others. She enjoyed daily walks with her husband where they would at least venture a mile at a time. Additionally, she enjoyed swimming and was recognized for completing the Red Cross 50-mile swim. She loved spending time with her kids and grandkids.

Those left to remember and cherish her memory are her children, Jodee Lewis, Jan (Steve) Logue, Rod (Karen) Buffington and son-in-law, Van Huff; 10 grandchildren, Shelly (Eric) Sulik, Jason (Katie) Huff, Kelly (Scott) Hedrick, Emily Lewis, Courtney (Kyle) Kledzik, Josh Logue, Brett Logue, Lexie Logue, Christin (Justin) Branon, and Dustin (Jessie) Buffington; her 11 great-grandchildren, Tanner and Kaison Sulik, Beckett Hedrick, Rylie Lewis, Jayden, Kennedy, Ryder and Cruz Kledzik and Triton, Kendall and Jocelyn Buffington; alongside numerous nieces and nephews and other beloved family members.

She was preceded in death by her husband M. Richard Buffington; her daughter, Donna Huff; her parents, John and Alice Freland; brothers, Ed Freland and Melvin Freland; and son-in-law, Rob Lewis.