Marsha Mary Forcum
Obituary
Marsha Mary Forcum, 71, died at Kidron
Bethel Village in North Newton Jan. 31, 2016. She was born on
November 13, 1944 in Eureka,, the daughter of Harold and Elinor
Forcum.
Marsha grew up in Kansas. In her early
years the Forcum family lived in a house with no electricity. It was
there that her love for nature and the outdoors began. She enjoyed
riding horses in her younger years, playing piano, singing, and has
always been an avid reader. Marsha felt her biggest achievement was
receiving "The Girl Achievement Award," which was a county
4-H award. Marsha considered 4-H her education for life and
direction. She was a member of the Harmony Sunflower 4-H Club in
Greenwood County. Her club leader, Lois Andrew, was a great mentor to
her.
Marsha attended Harmony school for half
of first grade before transferring to Piedmont where she attended
first grade through her senior year of high school. She extended her
education at Emporia State University and went on to Kansas
University Medical Center to pursue a Nursing degree. While a nursing
student, she attended several conventions with San Francisco and New
York City being two of the highlights.
In the 1980s and 1990s Marsha raised
her family in Springfield, Missouri. She had a passion for health
education, and helped form the Health Education Center there in
Missouri. At the HEC she also taught health education classes to kids
in kindergarten through junior high school. She worked with Safe Kids
and promoted child safety car seats and proper installation. Her
passion for 4-H came to Springfield as she helped form a new 4-H
club, and two of her own kids were able to be a part of the 4-H club
experience. She was a sports mom- always encouraging her kids to be
the best in the sport they were in. She watched many swim meets,
tennis matches, soccer and football games. She loved to travel and
one of her highlights was a convention in Toronto, Canada.
Marsha spent the last part of her life
in Newton. She enjoyed being a Kansas girl again. Marsha loved
educating others, and cared deeply for her family and friends close
to her. She stayed independent until the last month of her life, when
she moved into Kidron Bethel Village. She enjoyed being a part of
Shalom Mennonite Church.
She was preceded in death by her
parents and her brother John Forcum. She is survived by her children,
Curtis and (Annie) Wolfe, Wamego; Marci and (Jeff) Waters, Highlands
Ranch, Colorado; Justin and (Holly) Wolfe, Rogers, Arkansas; two
sisters: Janet Groninga, Manhattan; Ardys Maxson, Clearwater;
grandchildren Ellee, Eli, Emery, Emil Wolfe; Mackenzie, Bayli Waters;
Kennedy, Beckett Wolfe.
Cremation has taken place. Visitation
will be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday (Feb. 12, 2016) at Shalom
Mennonite Church with the Celebration of Life Service following at
6:30 p.m. Shalom Mennonite Church is located at 800 E. First Street,
Newton, KS 67114. A graveside service will be 4 p.m. Saturday (Feb.
13, 2016) at Star Cemetery. Memorials: Shalom Mennonite Church,
Petersen Family Funeral Home, Newton, KS.
