Marlene (Mackie) Sanford

Marlene (Mackie) Sanford, age 79, of Des Moines, Iowa passed away on Sunday, July 5, 2026 at Pine Acres Nursing Home.

Funeral services honoring Marlene’s life will take place on Friday, July 10, 2026, at 11:00 A.M. at Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown. A visitation for family and friends will be held from 10:00–11:00 A.M. at the funeral home. Marlene will be laid to rest at East Lawn Memorial Garden in Eldora, Iowa. Memorials may be directed to the family, who will designate them at a later time. To share condolences or find additional service details, please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234.

Born on April 17, 1947, in Marshalltown, Iowa, Marlene Verla (Mackie) Sanford was the cherished daughter of Virgil Arthur and Catherine Ione (Glenney) Mackie. She grew up in the Whitten community and proudly graduated from the Whitten School District. In December 1965, Marlene married Timothy Mark Brady in Union, Iowa, beginning a chapter of life that brought them their two beloved sons.

Marlene made her home in several Iowa communities over the years, including Whitten, Conrad, and Des Moines. In December 2009, Marlene married Daniel Sanford at Wakonda Christian Church in Des Moines. She worked as a mail clerk for Principal Financial Group and later as a cashier at Walmart, where she remained until her retirement.

In her free time, Marlene enjoyed collecting all things related to owls, going for walks, traveling, and spending quiet moments outdoors watching birds and wildlife. She also loved cookouts and treasured the time she spent with her favorite dog, “SJ,” and her beloved cat, “Tux.”

Marlene is survived by her son, Daniel Brady of Ferguson, Iowa, her three grandchildren: Danielle, Blake, and Brooke Brady; her three great grandchildren: Bailey, Jackson, and Colton Brady, and their family friend, Mary Bowen.

She is preceded in death by her parents: Virgil and Catherine; her son, Brian Brady; and her former husbands: Tim Brady and Dan Sanford.

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