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Pioneer of the Week - November, 2021
Marcia has been dedicated to keeping our class in touch throughout the years and past reunions. She is the Keeper of our History, with albums of pictures she has taken and organized. She was especially helpful obtaining local information and supplies for our 50th Reunion, since many of the committee members do not live in Wichita. She provided all of the lanyards from West High School, and several West High t-shirts. She took charge of the Hospitality Room at the hotel, and hosted the Allison Junior High reunion at her house.
Like many of you, when I (Sylvia) asked Marcia to share her story, she said, “I haven’t accomplished anything great.” But, as I visited with Marcia during the reunion planning, I realized she is an active, caring Christian woman, who has touched many lives in profound ways. Here is a little bit of her story.
“As many of you know I was pregnant the summer before my senior year. Tamara Lynn was born 8 weeks early and passed away within a few hours. I was devastated. This loss would be with me all my life. Mr. Sunderland, our counselor, called me and told me if I took an evening class, I could graduate with my class. I would find out later, when I spoke at his retirement, that he was always going to bat for each student and made sure as many students as possible would graduate! I did graduate, and obtained a business degree in organizational management from Friends University in my forties! I worked at Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages and retired after 21 years. Then, I substitute taught in elementary school for 10 years.
A few years after high school, a friend of mine that was class of 1969, asked me to join her in a bible study class. I was a religious person. I even had a 13-year perfect attendance pin for Sunday school! But, I didn’t have a relationship with Jesus. In a bible study downtown in Brown’s grill, Maxine, who was leading the study and the organist at Central Community, told me about a personal relationship with the Lord. I actually went into my closet and asked God to forgive me and accepted His free gift of salvation. I’ve shared my walk with the Lord with others. John and I taught second grade Sunday School together for 20 years. I’ve been active in Awana’s, a pre-school thru high school program, and lately, I’ve helped with Elevate, which is for middle school kids! God has always brought young ladies into my life to take to Sunday school. I have two, twelve year-old girls I take to Elevate and four kids I take to Sunday school. They are a blessing to me.
At our 20 year class reunion at the Cotillion, I ran into John Ashton. I found out this was part of God’s plan. John and I married, and blended our five wonderful children together. John’s youngest son, Daniel, lived with us while he was in high school. John wanted our two families to feel connected, so we had Family Night once a month. We would play games, and John would write skits, with parts for each person. He was so funny, calm and caring. John worked for IFR in the lab. After he got his engineering degree, he started working at Case New Holland. He was an avid bicyclist, sometimes riding 100 mile trips with a group.John and I traveled to Mexico, France, Israel and 46 states in this wonderful country of ours, often on our way to see one of our kids and grandkids. My daughter Kimberly is a French teacher. My son, Kam works in the aircraft industry. John had Jeff, Trisha and Daniel. We have 4 grandchildren. Both of our daughters have the kids! Alex, Cody, Cameron and Summer. They are all grown up. Summer is 16 and the youngest! We had 21 wonderful years.
The night John was killed riding his bicycle home from work, I found out just where my faith in Christ was. I heard about an accident on 135th and McCarther on the TV. I knew it was John. The police and hospitals wouldn’t give me any information. I sat and prayed. God gave me His perfect peace. When I went to the hospital and was told that John was gone, I held onto my Lord for strength and comfort. The hardest part was telling his mother. I still visit her often.
I quilted by hand, until my hands wouldn’t let me. I still make quilt tops, and have my sister quilt them by machine. I love to do scrapbooking, and was a Creative Memories dealer for 20 years. Now, everything for scrapbooking has gone digital. I have created several of the class reunion albums digitally, including the 50th reunion photo album.
But, carting around the heavy albums and supplies as a dealer, and cheerleading and gymnastics, took a toll on my back. I had two vertebrae in my lower back fused last summer, because they had disintegrated. I also have fibromyalgia.
I go line dancing once each week, and I’m still helping the reunion committee. Jim Petty and I are interviewing West High applicants in order to give three $500 scholarships this year from your donations. I hope this will be an ongoing thing. I also hope that we can continue to get together more often, meeting at a restaurant or local business.
So, you see I have had a stressful life but also a good life.
I’ve been very blessed. Thank you, Lord.
