Carla Marie Marshall

Friday, October 31, 2014

Carla Marie Marshall, age 59, longtime resident of Fort Scott, Kan., and more recently of Springfield, Mo., died Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014 at her home in Springfield. She was born March 21, 1955 in Fort Scott, and was a graduate of Fort Scott High School and Fort Scott Community College. She married Gary Marshall on Jan. 11, 1975. He preceded her in death on Jan. 22, 2008.

For many years she worked as a LPN for Fort Scott Family Physicians. From 2003 to 2013 she worked for Cox Health, Southern Hills Family Medicine in Springfield. As a nurse, Carla was loved by many. She always took the time to listen to each patient and pray for their specific needs. She was known as a strong, compassionate, and trustworthy woman of God. Many patients and co-workers became her life-long friends.

Carla loved her family. Her best friend was her daughter, Melissa. Together they shared a relationship full of humor and sarcasm, but most importantly, full of love and devotion. There wasn't anything Carla wouldn't do to make sure her daughter was happy, healthy, and safe. She loved her son-in-law, Matt, as if he were her own son. She often spoke of how thankful she was for his help and how well he took care of his family. The most treasured person in her life, however, was her granddaughter, Macey. Although their time together was short, Carla spent every precious moment she could imparting her love for God and the importance of prayer into Macey's life.

Carla is survived by her daughter, Melissa Ward and son-in-law Matt, Springfield; her granddaughter, Macey Ward, Springfield; her brother, Gary Golladay and wife Nancy, Joplin, Mo.; her sister-in-law, Judy Cooper and husband Mike, Fort Scott; her brother-in-law, Shawn Marshall and wife Chana, Fort Scott; and nieces, nephews and many friends. In addition to her husband, Carla was preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and Norma Golladay; her parents-in-law, Everitt and Bonnie Marshall; and her brother, Ron Hillman.

There are no services scheduled. Carla made the selfless decision to donate her whole body to the Genesis Legacy of Life program at the Medical Education and Research Institute in Memphis, Tenn. If you would like to celebrate Carla's life, wear purple and light a candle. Then watch a SyFy movie of your choice, or read a great book you've been dying to read but haven't gotten the chance; and think of Carla and thank God for her beautiful life.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Carla's memory may be made to the Macey Ward Education Fund at Empire Bank, Attn: North Kansas, PO Box 3397, Springfield, Missouri, 65890-0834. Condolences may be emailed to the family at melissacward@gmail.com.