Madelyn Turnbull

Madelyn Turnbull, age 100, formerly of Frankfort, Vliets, and Marysville, Kansas, died Friday, July 25, 2014 at the Autumn Hills Home in Riley, Kansas. Visitation was Wednesday, July 30, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Padden Funeral Chapel, Frankfort. A rosary service was held at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, at Annunciation Catholic Church, Frankfort. Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10 a.m., Thursday, July 31, at Annunciation Catholic Church. Burial was in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Frankfort. Madelyn was the oldest of six children, born to Fred and Mary (Hadorn) Howell. She was raised on the farm where she was born near Frankfort. After graduating from Frankfort High School, she taught in a rural elementary school west of Frankfort. On May 24, 1934, she married Paul William Stewart at the Annunciation Catholic Parish House in Frankfort. This union produced four sons; Charles Frederick, Paul William Jr., David Howell and Thomas Harvey. Madelyn’s husband, Paul Sr., passed away on June 30, 1949. On November 27, 1959, Madelyn married Max Turnbull Sr. of Vliets, at the Annunciation Catholic Parish House in Frankfort. Madelyn and Max farmed near Vliets for many years and Madelyn became the Vliets postmaster and owned a small “general store” connected to the post office. Max passed away February 28, 1982 and Madelyn moved to Marysville, where she lived for twenty years. In 2003, she moved to Chapman, KS to be near her sons, Bill and Dave. Preceding Madelyn into the arms of the Lord, were her parents; husbands, Paul Stewart and Max Turnbull; sons, Charles and David; brothers, Ken Howell, Roger Howell; sister, Marjorie Glynn; and granddaughter, Theresa Lynn Stewart. Survivors include sons, Bill (Bonnie) Stewart, Riley, KS, Tom (Linda) Stewart, Papillion, NE; brothers, Walter (Pauline) Howell, Ft. Collins, CO, Lyle (Ann) Howell, Frankfort; daughters-in-law, Dorothy Stewart, Gardner, KS, Jean Ann Stewart, Lake Elbo, KS; stepsons, Max (Darlene) Turnbull Jr., Roger (Jackie) Turnbull, all of Vliets, Ron (Iris) Turnbull, Axtell; thirteen grandchildren, six step-grandchildren, twenty one great grandchildren, eight great-great grandchildren; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. With Madelyn’s passing goes another anchor to our distant past which can never be replaced. She was six years old when the “Great War” ended in Europe and the 1919 flu epidemic swept our nation. It was during her twenties that the “Great Depression” nearly brought our country to its knees. In her thirties, our country was again at war and she had many friends and relatives in uniform and knew many “Gold Star” mothers in Marshall County. During the late forties and fifties, while much of the rest of the nation was prospering, Madelyn was faced with supporting four sons with no husband, by working two and three jobs and squeezing every nickel. She should be remembered for never giving up and never being afraid to try. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Madelyn Turnbull, please visit our flower store.