Cynthia A. Plendl, 82, of Le Mars, Iowa, peacefully entered eternal life surrounded by her family on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars following a courageous battle with heart disease. Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, January 12, 2024, at All Saints Catholic Parish – St. Joseph Church in Le Mars. Father Doug Klein will celebrate Mass. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Le Mars. Visitation will begin at 12:00 p.m. on Monday at the church.

Cynthia Alice Plendl was born on June 22, 1941, in Le Mars, Iowa, one of six children born to Francis and Christine (Majeres) Schiefen. She was baptized on June 29, 1941, made her first communion on May 8, 1949, and was confirmed on June 6, 1950. Cynthia attended St. Joseph School in Le Mars and graduated from Gehlen Catholic High School in 1959.

Cynthia met Kenneth Plendl at the weekly Shore Acres dances in Riverside and they were later united in marriage on September 5, 1959, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Le Mars. They lived in various communities in Northwest Iowa until moving back to Le Mars in 1970. Cynthia was a lifelong cook in Le Mars. She cooked at the Truck Haven Café, Monroe’s Café, Club Café, and Timmy’s before finally settling into the Abbey of Le Mars from which she retired after 28 years in 2012. She was the best cook around. She was an avid Atlanta Braves fan and attended a few of their games. She liked to scrapbook her family’s activities and compile photo albums. When she was not engaged in those activities, she enjoyed playing games with her family, especially Pinochle and Canasta. She was also the best caregiver to her husband Kenny and her son, Brian as they battled cancer in the years before they passed away. She will be remembered most for her unconditional love above all else.

Grateful to have shared her life are her children, Brenda (Tom) McVicker of Le Mars, IA, Brian Plendl (deceased), Beverly (Jeff) Bandstra of Chesapeake, VA, Bethene (Michael “Moke” Mockler) Miller, Betty (Kurt) Black, Bradley (Nancy) Plendl, and Belinda (Brad) Eppling all of Le Mars, IA; grandchildren, Kyle (Cassie) Miller, Andrea (Brandon) Anderson, Cassandra Hemmelman, Jesse Weiler, Leah (Jesse) Baack, Levi (Janet) Price, Amanda (Zach Hattermann) Eppling and Dr. Crystal (Dr. Jack Buckman) Eppling, Brittani (Ross) Bootsma, Kristina (Brenden) Plendl – Recker and Matt (Karen) McGill; great-grandchildren, Kylie and Dominic Hansen, Dallas Hemmelman, Addison Baack, Braylon Anderson, Keyanna, Treyton and Charlotte Miller, Brixley, Haisley, and Brecklynn Bootsma, Arizona and Royce Price, and Vincent and Sylvia Plendl – Recker; sisters, Eunice Lehner of Le Mars, IA and Veronica Harpenau of Remsen, IA; a brother, Virgil (Linda) Schiefen of Le Mars, IA; brothers-in-law, Marlin Mueller of St. Cloud, MN; Larry Plendl of Hudson, SD; Joe Plendl of North Sioux City, SD; Terry Woodley of El, Paso TX; sisters-in-law Dorothy Sorenson of Lake Crystal, MN; Paula Ball of Eagan, MN; and Mary Trout of North Sioux City, SD; a family friend, Richard Price of Le Mars, IA; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Francis and Christine Schiefen; husband, Kenneth in 1997; a son, Brian in 2020; great-granddaughter Jaelynn Alice Anderson in 2018; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Helen and Harry “Bud” Plendl; a sister, Kathleen Mueller; a brother, Lowell Schiefen; sisters-in-law, Sharon Schiefen, Marge Plendl, Cinda Plendl, Mary Ann Plendl, LuEllen Woodley; brothers-in-law, Verl “Bud” Lehner, Clarence Harpenau, Donnie Trout, Evan Ball, Jens Sorensen, and David Plendl.