03/27/2026
A Rosary will be held on Tuesday, March 31st at 4:00 p.m. at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Knoxville followed by visitation from 4:30 until 6:30 p.m., a Vigil Service will begin at 6:30 p.m., all at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Comfort House Hospice in Pella or to the Marion County Special Olympics.
Mary Judith Murphy Wadle was born on November 22, 1933, on the family farm northwest of Knoxville to Leo Michael and Hazel Gertrude Harkin Murphy. She passed away on March 27, 2026, at Comfort House in Pella.
Mary attended Fairview Country School through the 8th grade and graduated from Knoxville High School in 1952. She worked at Marion County Extension Office and Community National Bank before becoming a full-time farm wife, mom, and homemaker. She later worked at Pella Corp, from where she retired, after 15 years.
Mary married Giles Henry Wadle on October 20, 1956, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Knoxville. They were blessed with three children: Maureen, Kaye, and Michael.
Mary and Giles farmed together for over 54 years on the family farm northwest of Knoxville, where they had moved the Fairview Country Schoolhouse (the school Mary attended) and made it their family home. One of Mary’s greatest joys in life was being a farm wife and working alongside Giles.
Mary was an active member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. She enjoyed participating in Altar and Rosary activities and planning funeral dinners.
In recent years, she was proud to let people know that she held one of the longest memberships at St. Anthony’s among the current parishioners. She developed a wonderful group of friends over the years, calling themselves ‘The Church Ladies”, who continued to still get together.
Mary and Giles enjoyed traveling over the years, often visiting relatives or attending Giles’ Navy reunions. Her grandchildren will always recall her attendance at their many activities and her talents in the kitchen, with a special fondness for her meatballs and her noodles. Mary enjoyed sewing, making a quilt for each grandchild as they graduated from high school.
Mary also cherished monthly lunches with a group of high school friends, Murphy family reunions, and phone calls and visits from family and friends. Her last two months at Homestead Assisted Living in Knoxville were filled with reconnecting with friends as well as making new ones.
Her legacy of valuing faith, family, farming, and friends continues through her survivors, children: Maureen (Roger) Schletzbaum of Pleasantville, Kaye (Tom) Meyers of Rock Island, IL, and Michael Wadle of Altoona; grandchildren: Andrea (Joel) Rindfleisch of Hartford, Jacob Schletzbaum of Knoxville, Marissa Schletzbaum of Pleasantville, Kaden (Kristin) Wadle of Urbandale, and Faith Wadle of Altoona; and four delightful great grandchildren: Grace, Sam, Jett, and Isla; special cousin Delores Kovacik who was like a younger sister, along with many dear relatives and friends.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband Giles, her parents Leo and Hazel Murphy, her brother Myles Murphy, and three grandchildren, Jeremy Wadle, Claire Meyers, and Allison Meyers.