Mary Lynn Murphy, 74, of Natoma, Kansas, died on Saturday, February 12, 2022, at the Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas.
Mary was born on September 23, 1947, in Sterling, Kansas, the daughter of Cecil D. and Ida Ruth (Skibbe) Wohlford. She grew up on her family’s farm near Geneseo, Kansas, and graduated from Geneseo High School in the class of 1966. After high school she attended Sterling College, Ft. Hays State University and Arkansas State University and received her bachelor’s degree. She met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Ronnie Dean Murphy on December 27, 1968, in Geneseo, Kansas. From this union Mary and Ronnie were blessed with 3 sons Sean, Heath, and Aaron. She worked as a middle school special education teacher and taught in the Delta C-7 School in Deering, Missouri, Lucas, Luray and Russell, Kansas schools and worked as a librarian at the Natoma High School. She attended the United Methodist Church in Natoma, Kansas. She was a member of the Natoma American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Natoma City Cemetery Board, Natoma City Library Board and Lyons Club. She enjoyed reading, playing the piano, gardening, volunteering at school and the church and helping at the Natoma City Library. Most of all she enjoyed spending time with her husband, children and especially enjoyed being with her grandchildren.
Surviving family include her husband Ronnie of the home; sons Sean Murphy and wife Marcy of Merriam, Kansas, Aaron Murphy and wife Alison of Natoma, Kansas and Heath Murphy and wife Megan of Overland Park, Kansas; sisters Katherine Pollard and husband Bill of Austin, Texas and Jean Stefek and husband Alan of Ellsworth, Kansas and 5 grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brother Bill Wohlford.
A celebration of Mary’s life will be held at 11 A.M. on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas. Burial will follow at the Natoma City Cemetery in Natoma, Kansas. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 10:45 A.M. the day of service on Tuesday. Memorials may be given to the Natoma City Library or Natoma American Legion Ladies Auxiliary and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.