Kimberly Nicole Luschen, 36 of Merrill, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

Funeral Service will be 1:00 p.m., Friday, May 1, 2026 at Rexwinkel Funeral Home in Le Mars. Visitation with her family present will begin at 11 a.m. on Friday at the funeral home. Burial at Hillside Cemetery in Merrill, Iowa will be at a later date. Expressions of sympathy may be expressed to the family through www.rexwinkelfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred for her daughter's future schooling and other needs.

Kimberly Nicole Mayberry was born on July 18, 1989 in Wallkill, New York to Vernon Mayberry and Kelly (Shipp) Luschen. She moved to Iowa at a young age and her family made their home in Merrill. Kimberly attended Kissinger Elementary in Merrill, Le Mars Community middle school, and graduated from Le Mars Community High School in 2008.

Soon after their family moved to Iowa, Kim was rushed into emergency surgery to remove a large brain tumor. This would only be the beginning of some very challenging struggles she would face throughout her life. She fractured her back shortly after her brain surgery and had an extra vertebra in her neck that caused her lifelong pain. At the age of 19, she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. After almost three years of chemotherapy and radiation, she was successfully in remission. The chemotherapy caused her continued joint pain and she also battled fibromyalgia. These physical battles took a toll on her mental health, and in the end, her burdens became too great for her to carry.

Kim's calling in life was to be a caretaker; she had a gentle and loving spirit. She worked primarily with elderly or special needs adults. Her clients became her family, and she instilled that philosophy into her daughters.

Kim loved to spend time outdoors and in nature. Weekends with her daughters were often spent camping and going hiking. She loved to travel, taking her girls on trips to explore new places and creating memorable experiences. She loved listening to music and enjoyed animals. Kim recently began reflecting on her spiritual beliefs and had started attending Elevate Community Church in Sioux City.

Kim is survived by her parents, Randy and Kelly Luschen of Merrill; daughters: Gwendolyn Grace Lilian and Aubrey Nicole; brother, Brandon (Jodie) Utesch; sisters: Moriah (Dean) Detloff, Kaitlin (Albert) Luschen, and Hannah-Grace (Ryan) Gengler; biological father, Vernon Mayberry; nieces and nephews: Jerad, Kaden (Raigan), Trey, Hailey, Alexis (Nathan), Brayden (Alivia), Rebecca, AnnaBelle, Wyatt, Austin (Courtney), Ethan, Caiden, Dallas, and Tyson; great nieces and nephews: Huntley, Julian, Haizlee, Nova, and two on the way; uncle, Merlin Luschen; aunt, Debbie (Bruce) Cram; cousins: Cody Shipp, Erika Shipp, Shannon Shipp, Pete Luschen, Matt Luschen, Heidi Hester, Missy Luschen, Aaron (Emily) Cram, and Dustin (Cara) Cram; and many other extended relatives.

Kim is preceded in death by her maternal grandma, Grace Brush; maternal grandpa, Dean Shipp; paternal grandparents, Ray and Emma Luschen; infant child, Ryan; niece, IsaBelle; nephew, Zach; uncles: Terry Shipp and Larry Luschen; and cousins: Holly Luschen and Joelle Shipp.