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Mary Madeline Gilliland
Mary Madeline Gilliland, age 89, resident of Fort Scott, Kan., formerly of Hiattville, Kan., died Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, at Guest Home Estates in Fort Scott. She was born July 20, 1925, in Hiattville, Kan., the daughter of Elmer Donovan and Lola Mae Neil Shankel. She graduated from Hepler High School with the class of 1943. She married Galen W. "Sam" Gilliland on Sept. 21, 1942, at Nevada, Mo. He preceded her in death on Jan. 15, 2003. She worked diligently on the family farm for 50 years, often driving the grain truck to the elevator. She later worked for Western Insurance/American States Insurance in the distribution department. Madeline was the family caregiver, always making herself available to family in their time of need. She enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening, raising chickens, bowling, playing cards with neighbors and cooking. Her specialties included fried chicken, chop suey and pie. She was a member of Eastern Star in Hepler, Hepler Christian Church and more recently Community Christian Church.
Survivors include a son, Larry Gilliland and wife Kathleen, Hiattville; a daughter, Gail Bailey and husband Dean, Fort Scott; two brothers, Dean Shankel, Richport, Ill., and Curt Shankel and wife Gloria, Fort Scott; two sisters, Ida Mae Smith, Overland Park, Kan., and Irene Lowe and husband Roger, Wichita, Kan.; sister-in-law Hazel Shankel, Austin, Texas; three grandchildren, Pam Hopkins and husband Mike, O'Fallon, Mo., Eric Bailey and wife Malinda, Fort Scott, and Janet Beene, Hiattville; seven great grandchildren, Zack, Morgan and Taylor Hopkins, Kelcie, Kiran and Kaleb Bailey, and Kristy Beene; and numerous nieces and nephews. Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by three brothers, Don, J.D. and Buford Shankel; two sisters, Pauline Shankel and Ilene Highfill; as well as her parents.
Rev. Kevin Moyers will conduct funeral services at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the Memory Gardens Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until service time at the Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Hiattville and Pawnee 4-H Clubs and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kan., 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.