Marcella E. Shovlain

Marcella Elizabeth Cronin Shovlain was born to Raymond J. and Marie (Conway) Cronin on Jan. 16th, 1934, on the family farm in Callender, Iowa. She was the second of five children. Marcella departed this life on Saturday, May 28, 2022, at the Clarissa Cook Hospice House, Bettendorf, Iowa at the age of 88. 

A Mass of Christian Burial for Marcella Shovlain, 88, of Davenport, will be 11a.m. Friday at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, Davenport. The Mass can be viewed by visiting the following link:  OLV LIVESTREAM Burial will be 4:30p.m. Friday at Sacred Heart Calvary Cemetery, Chariton, Iowa. Visitation will be Thursday from 5 to 7p.m. at Our Lady of Victory with a rosary and sharing at 6:30p.m. Additional visitation will be Friday from 10 until 11a.m. at church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Our Lady of Victory. Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.
            Marcella graduated from Corpus Christi Academy in Ft Dodge in 1951 and from St Joseph Nursing School in Ottumwa in 1954. On November 10, 1956, Marcella was united in marriage to James “Jim” Joseph Shovlain, Jr. at Our Lady of Good Council Catholic Church in Moorland, IA. Marcella and Jim were blessed with six children. Marcella worked as a Registered Nurse before staying home full-time to raise her children.  

            Faith and family were Marcella’s main focus. Her children are eternally grateful for the deep faith she taught and instilled in each of them. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She was happiest when caring for others whether as a nurse, caring for her husband when he was sick, her kids when they were young or when they needed a little mothering even when they weren’t so young or helping any of her 18 grandchildren. Her family will remember her fun tidbits of witty advice and long chats on her back patio. Marcella was proud of her Irish heritage and enjoyed following St Ambrose basketball.  

Marcella’s survivors include her four sons Ray (Betsy) Shovlain, Davenport, Mike (Julie) Shovlain, St. Louis, Joe (Lynne) Shovlain, Clinton, and Dave (Renee) Shovlain, Davenport; two daughters Marianne (Tom) Dowd and Kathleen (Ken) McNeal, all of Des Moines; 17 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; her brother Jack Cronin, Callender, in-laws, Peg Cronin, Ft Dodge, Harold Fitzpatrick, Osceola, Pat McManus, Des Moines, Marge Shovlain, Monona, Wisconsin, and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Marcella was very proud of her grandchildren Katelyn and Sean Shovlain (Ray); Matt (Lauren) and Daniel Shovlain (Mike); Steven (Christy) Shovlain, Jackie (Jason) Besch, and Shannon (Jared) Voss (Joe); Staci (Mike) Dunn, Lex (Kelsy), Jake (Katie), and Abby Dowd (Marianne); Sam (Mary), Ben (Taylor), and Molly McNeal (Kathleen); Keegan, Braylon, and Cale Shovlain (Dave). 

Marcella was preceded in death by her husband, Jim, her grandson, Braddock Shovlain, her parents, and siblings Rose Sylvester, Jim and Joe Cronin, and her in-laws, Lloyd Sylvester, Ed & Joyce Shovlain, Mary Fitzpatrick, Helen & Tom Kreber, Pat Shovlain, and Virgene McManus. May they rest in peace. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to her parish, Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church.