Josephine Jean Martinek, 76, of West Des Moines, Iowa passed away with her loving family by her side on Monday, April 30, 2018 at the Kavanagh Hospice House in Des Moines, Iowa. A memorial visitation will be held on Friday, May 4, 2018 from 10:00 11:00 a.m. at the Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines, Iowa. A memorial service will immediately follow the visitation and begin at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. in the Booneville Cemetery in Booneville, Iowa.

Josephine was born in Belmond, Iowa on April 16, 1942 to Russell Sr. and Jennie (Johnson) LaRue. The family relocated to Chariton where Josephine attended school and graduated from Chariton High School in 1959. Following school, she moved to the Ester Hall Ladies Home in Des Moines, Iowa and began working for Bankers Life Company. She met Virgil and the couple married on November 9, 1963. They remained in Des Moines. Josephine worked for IMT, and Wells Fargo before retiring in 2009. She was a member of the West Des Moines Methodist Church and Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines. Josephine enjoyed spending time with her family, was an avid knitter and enjoyed making baby quilts for expecting families, watching the Iowa Hawkeyes, watching NASCAR, and spending time with her beloved dogs over the years.

Those left to cherish her loving memory are her husband Virgil Martinek, of West Des Moines, IA; daughter Sandra (Eric) Bickel of Des Moines, IA; grandchildren Alyssa and Wyatt Bickel; brother Russell LaRue Jr. of Leon, IA; 2 nephews; niece; and many cousins and close friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the family and delivered to her service or mailed to Virgil Martinek, 5317 Brookview Dr., West Des Moines, Iowa, 50266.

Celebrate Life Iowa has been entrusted with the cremation care of Josephine.