Marthanell Mary (McGuire) Turley

Scott City, Kansas

Marthanell Mary (McGuire) Turley, age 99, passed away on September 5, 2026, at the Park Lane Nursing Home in Scott City, Kansas. She was born at home on June 4, 1927, in Logan County, Kansas, north of Elkader, Kansas, to John Lloyd and Mabell Ruby (Trowbridge) McGuire.

Marthanell attended the first eight grades at District 3, in a one-room schoolhouse located on the west side of US Highway 83. It was also known as the Elkader School or, as the family always called it, “The Little White School House”. Marthanell then attended Oakley High School. At semester break of her Junior year, she moved to Wichita to help her brother Clifford McGuire and sister-in-law Eula take care of their two children, Margaret and Raymond. While living in Wichita, she attended and graduated from Wichita North High School on May 23rd, 1945. During high school, she made a friend named Joy Mason. Joy later married Marthanell’s brother Don McGuire. After high school, Marthanell attended Friends University in Wichita, Kansas to obtain her teacher’s certificate. Back then, she only had to have 4 credit hours plus take a course on practice teaching. None of the local schools were offering that course at that time, so she had to go to Alva, Oklahoma, where it was being offered. She lived in the dorm and babysat and tutored the local doctor’s children as well as the children of one of her professors. During her stay in Alva, Oklahoma, she made a friend named Berniece Kibbe, who would later become her brother Cecil’s wife. Marthanell often joked that she got even with her brothers for all of their constant teasing, by introducing them to their wives. After taking the course for practice teaching, Marthanell was required to go to Russell Springs, Kansas and attend what they called “Institute” and pass a test in order to receive her teaching certificate. After receiving her teaching certificate, Marthanell taught at various schools such as the “Good Luck School District 53” which was located west of the current-day Keystone Gallery Museum. Before becoming a museum, the building was a church for many years. The next school she taught at was the one near the Stout family on 83 Highway. She taught for a total of 4 years in Logan County, Kansas. She also taught at the "Rudolph School" in Scott County for one year.

On July, 30, 1950, Marthanell married Clarence Turley in Hutchinson, Kansas, at the Pilgrim Holiness Parsonage. He passed away on August 11, 2009, at the Scott County Hospital.

Clarence and Marthanell had a daughter born on April 22, 1952. They named her Janet Lorraine so that her first two initials would be the same as Marthanell’s father, John Lloyd, who had passed away four months earlier. The family moved to Oakley in 1957 to send Janet to school. During this time, Marthanell worked several different jobs. They included babysitting, making beds at the local hotel, being a clerk for the two grocery stores, being a temp at the Logan County Courthouse for whichever office needed help, and, before retiring, she worked at the local dime store called Stetz’s.

Marthanell and Clarence attended the Nazarene Church when they moved to Scott City. After Clarence passed away, Marthanell started attending the First United Methodist Church since she could walk there from her home. She liked being independent. Due to limited eyesight, she had not been able to drive for many years.

Marthanell is survived by her daughter, Janet and Janet’s husband James King of Scott City, Kansas, her sisters Elizabeth McGuire-Salters of Stockton, Missouri, and Luellen (McGuire) Ellegood and husband Keith of Oakley, Kansas, Grandchildren Chandler Stevens and wife Mara of Lilliwaup, WA, Corbin Stevens and wife Heidi, Scott City, KS, Cristalyn (Stevens) Kirchhoff and friend Dustin Kendall, Smith Center, KS, Curtis Stevens and wife Theresa, Minneapolis, KS, Great Grandchildren Catherine Stevens, Savannah Stevens, Wyatt Stevens, Makaela Stevens and Fiance Mathew Ross, Sawyer Stevens and wife Piper, Brinlie Stevens, Ella Stevens, Sierra Kirchhoff, Jessalyn Kirchhoff, Hunter Stevens and friend Angel Herrera, Emmalina Stevens, and Olivia Stevens, Honorary Great Granddaughter Taryn Rohrbough, Step Grand Children Richelle Stroup and husband Mark, Derby, KS, Audra King, Siloam Springs, AR, Step Great Grandchildren Sophia Morse, Austin Stroup, Tyler Stroup, and Jake Sullivan and his wife Payton, Step Great Great Grandchildren John Sullivan, June Sullivan, and Remi Sullivan, and special young friends Emme Dirks, Avery Eggleston, Blakely Eggleston and Grayson Eggleston.

Marthanell was preceded in death by her parents, her Grandson Brannon Chayston Stevens, her brothers Leland W. McGuire, Melvin L. McGuire, Cecil G. McGuire, Donald D. McGuire, Bill E. McGuire, and John Harvey McGuire, sisters Patricia L. (McGuire) Rose, Retha A. (McGuire) Lemmons, and Velda R. (McGuire) Cox, and half brothers Earl T. McGuire, Thomas N. McGuire, Clifford L. McGuire and Glen R. McGuire.

Marthanell always seemed to have a smile on her face and wanted to remind us that “There is only one God”.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at United Methodist Church in Scott City, Kansas, with Pastor Brenda Hogan presiding.

Visitation in Scott City, Kansas, will be from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Thursday, September 10, 2026, and 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Friday, September 11, 2026, at Price & Sons Funeral Home, 401 S. Washington St., Scott City, Kansas, 67871.

Internment will be in the Scott County Cemetery in Scott City, Kansas.

Memorials In Lieu of Flowers may be written to the Golden Rule Preschool, Parklane Nursing Home, or the State Library of Kansas Talking Books service in care of Price & Sons Funeral Home, PO Box 553, Scott City, Kansas, 67871.