Ella Marie Church

Ella Marie Church, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother died Tuesday evening, May 13, 2014 at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice Center In-Patient Unit,Via Christi Hospital St. Francis in Wichita, Kansas at the age of 73.

Ella Marie was born the fourth daughter of Raymond J Lohrding and Laura (Deewall) Lohrding on Saturday, August 24, 1940 in Coldwater, Kansas. She was raised on the family farm northeast of Coldwater.

Ella Marie met Herman L. Smith in Coldwater, Kansas and were united in marriage on June, 1 1958. Ella Marie and Herman had two sons, Randy and Ricky before they divorced in 1966.

On December 31, 1966, Ella Marie and Wayne H. Alexander were united in marriage at Newton, Kansas. Ella Marie and Wayne had one son, Raymond. Together they celebrated nearly 41 years of marriage. After Wayne’s passing in 2007, Ella Marie and Robert G. Church, Sr., were united in marriage in Wellington, Kansas on February 20, 2009.

Ella Marie was a loving mother who stayed at home to raise her three sons. She was an excellent seamstress who made clothing for her family and others. In 1976, she joined Boatwright Accounting where she was a bookkeeper until the practice was taken over by Chad Andra. She continued at the practice until she retired in 2008. For 13 years, Ella Marie and Wayne kept busy in December by handing out gifts and listening to the wishes of local children as Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Ella Marie was active in the American Legion Auxiliary and the 8 and 40. She served in various offices from the local to the state level in both organizations. She also served in various staff positions for the Sunflower Girls State.

She was preceded in death by her parents, ex-husband Herman Smith in 2009, husband Wayne Alexander in 2007, husband Robert Church in 2010, sisters Katherine Schultz and Louise Langham, and stepson Merle Alexander.

Survivors include sons Randy Smith and Kim Nonenmacher of New Orleans, Louisiana, Ricky Smith and his wife Suzanne of Crofton, Maryland, Raymond Alexander and his wife Tamera of Wichita, Kansas, stepchildren James Alexander and his wife Brenda of Great Mills, Maryland, Priscilla Buttry and her husband Brad of Cheney, Kansas(?), Robert Church, Jr. and his wife Pamela of Wichita, Kansas, Cathy-Jean Schreiber and her husband Jeff of Valley Center, Kansas; sister Donna Butler of Coldwater, Kansas, brother Curtis Lohrding and his wife Jan of Bella Vista, Arkansas, sister Ester Hutsell and her husband Lucien of Wichita, Kansas, sister Margaret Myott of Hartford, New York, and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

A memorial has been established in her name and loving memory with Avenue of Flags P.O. Box 339 Wellington, Kansas 67152. Contributions should be mailed.