Remembering Marsha's Laughter

A Life Filled with Love & Laughter

Marsha Kay (Alleman) Steensland, born October 20, 1942, in Des Moines, Iowa, lived a life defined by compassion, laughter, resilience, and deep love for family, friends, and community. She passed peacefully surrounded by love, leaving behind a legacy of kindness, strength, and joyful spirit that will continue to ripple through the lives she touched.

Marsha grew up on a farm in Alleman, Iowa — fittingly, a town that shared her family name. The oldest of three children born to William Milton Alleman (a farmer) and Wanda Battles Alleman (a grade school teacher), she shared a childhood full of adventure with her brother Mark and sister Kathy. Farm life meant making your own fun, and Marsha embraced it wholeheartedly, whether riding their beloved scooter “Nelly Belle” or spending treasured time at the family cabin at Eagle's Nest Lake in Ely, Minnesota, where water skiing, relaxation, and laughter created lifelong memories.

She graduated from North Polk High School, where she played guard on the girls’ basketball team. The determination and team spirit she showed on the court were on display throughout life. She went on to complete her nursing training at Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines, earning her RN and beginning what would become a lifelong calling to care for others.

Marsha married Richard Steensland, and although their marriage ended 37 years later, they maintained a special bond and enduring affection. She often said she expected Richard to greet her in heaven, along with many cherished friends and family she looked forward to seeing again.

After working as a psychiatric RN, Marsha devoted herself fully to raising her daughters, Shelly and Nicole. She later said her greatest accomplishment was “being a mom and grandmother,” and she took enormous pride in raising strong, independent daughters.

Life eventually took the family from Iowa to Ohio and then to Phoenix, Arizona, where Marsha spent 44 vibrant years. After supporting the family business during her daughters’ school years, she returned to college herself, earning a degree in psychology from Ottawa University followed by a master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University.

Her professional calling blossomed in hospice work. After time as a therapist for children and adults, she became a hospice social worker at Community Hospice and Hospice of the Valley, serving families through some of life’s most tender transitions. She especially loved pediatric hospice early on, later focusing on adults. This work required extraordinary compassion, emotional strength, and presence — qualities she carried naturally — and she found deep meaning in supporting patients and families with dignity and care.

Faith and community were central to her life. She was active at Shadow Rock Church in Phoenix and later Unity of Phoenix, where she joyfully served as a greeter and usher. These roles were perfectly suited to her welcoming spirit.

Marsha loved staying active, hiking or walking nearly every day. She traveled widely, including trips to Germany, Ireland, Hawaii, and Cancun. Her favorite adventures were two unforgettable week-long river rafting adventures through the Grand Canyon. She was also an avid reader and a devoted member of her book club for more than two decades.

She later moved to Alma, Arkansas, where she lived near her daughter and son-in-law and quickly built what she affectionately called her “Arkansas family.”

To know Marsha was to know laughter. Her laugh was infectious — the kind that filled a room and made everyone else laugh too. She had a heart of gold, rarely judged, and instinctively supported and encouraged others. She was feisty, determined, and, as her daughters lovingly describe her, “sassy, classy, and a bit bad-assy.” She appreciated life deeply and found joy in everyday moments many overlook. She seemed to always see the good in people and had a gift for making others feel valued and supported.

She loved animals deeply, especially her dogs Deedee, Pokey, and Happy, and her cats Digger and Beamer. She remained especially close with her brother and sister and treasured their regular conversations. She also valued the relationships she shared with her brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews, and cherished the many friendships that brought laughter, connection, and companionship throughout her life.

Marsha is survived by her daughters, Shelly (Scott) and Nicole (Shawn), and her beloved granddaughter Sydney, who brought her immeasurable joy. She leaves behind extended family, dear friends, and countless individuals whose lives were brighter because she was part of them.

Marsha often said she had a good life and did everything she wanted. Those who loved her would agree and would add that she helped others do the same. She was a bright light in this world, and while she will be deeply missed, her warmth, humor, and love continue to live on in everyone fortunate enough to know her.