Molly J. Butterfield

Molly Butterfield, age 89 of Johnston and formerly of Marshalltown, passed away on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at Bishop Drumm Retirement Center.

Marlene June Kennedy was born on June 28, 1936 in Grand Rapids, Michigan to John Kennedy and Elfrieda (Preusse) Kennedy. She graduated high school in Grand Rapids before settling in the Marshalltown area for many years.

Molly loved antiques and was delighted when she opened Little Red Hen Antiques and Collectibles. She worked for Swift Greenhouses and US Cellular in Marshalltown—winning several sales awards—before moving to the suburbs of Des Moines in 2007.

Molly had a love for animals of all kinds; Mr. Dugan, Mickey and Toby being just a few of the dogs that she loved over the years. She loved fishing, camping and the occasional casino visit.

Over the years, Molly made frequent trips with her family to buy and sell antiques, but she mostly enjoyed the travel with them. She was also an avid crocheter who made many afghans, table cloths and sweaters for family, and she also made jewelry both for retail and as gifts. Her family would joke that she was an amateur meteorologist, often calling family members to warn them of impending storms. Most of all, Molly cherished time with her family.

In death, Molly is reunited with her grandparents; parents, John and Elfrieda Kennedy; and her brother, David Kennedy. Left to cherish her memory are her children: Cortland (Mary) Butterfield, Kathleen Stacey (Chuck Wood), and Shannen (Dara) Butterfield; grandchildren: Erin Christensen, Jacob Dent, Jon Butterfield, Aujolie Stacey, Joziah Stacey, Aiyana Stacey, Aaliyah Butterfield and Anya Butterfield; 13 great-grandchildren including her ‘honey buckets’, Davion, who spent a lot of his early years with his Grandma Molly; and her beloved Beagle, Toby.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Mitchell Family Funeral Home. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services. Burial will be held at Riverside Cemetery in Marshalltown. Memorial donations may be directed to your local animal shelter.

Mitchell Family Funeral Home has been entrusted to care for Molly and family. To leave online condolences, please visit www.MitchellFH.com. Ph: 641-844-1234

~ Lovingly written by family