Marsha Jean Martin

December 16, 1945 - March 17, 2021

Marsha Jean (Sweaney) Martin was born on December 16, 1945 on the farm 5 miles north of Buffalo to Claude T. and Elva M. (Keith) Sweaney and died on March 17, 2021 at Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar, MO. Marsha went to school for the first 5 years at White Palace where she and Floyd were the smartest in their grade since they were the only two in the same grade! She graduated from Buffalo High School in 1963. Marsha married Gary Wayne Martin in 1969. She received her bachelor’s degree in education from Missouri State University and master’s degree in counseling from Adams State College in Alamosa, CO. She taught in public schools in Missouri, Colorado, and Kansas for over 45 years. Her last four years in education, before full retirement, were spent in Dodge City, KS. When she went to Dodge, she thought she could be Miss Kitty!! She served on various committees and groups such as Cedar County Domestic Violence Task Force, School Crisis Teams in Missouri, and Kansas, and was a member of State and National Counseling Associations. She served in many capacities during her education career. Marsha loved to travel, and many times took jobs so she could have a “working vacation”. Anything new was exciting to her. She was always ready to go and see and do. She walked down the Grand Canyon (also rode down on a donkey), explored the Grand Tetons of Wyoming, did white water rafting down the Arkansas and Rio Grande, and she liked to float the Niangua. She crisscrossed the United States and formed many lifelong friendships along the way. And yes, I think she must have tamed the WEST!!! She was always saying “Life’s a journey, enjoy the ride” and she hopes you dance! Marsha was preceded in death by her parents, her paternal grandparents Willy and Pearl (Revens) Sweaney, maternal grandparents Jimmy and Ida (Haney) Keith, her brothers, Dillard D. Sweaney and wife Beulah, James W. Sweaney and wife Nora, and her sister Dixie C. Hensley-Cross and husband’s Bill Hensley and Don Cross. She is survived by her sister, M. Joanne Stilen and husband Leon of Omaha, NE, her brother, Randle Sweaney and wife Brenda, daughter Leigh Ann Alford, and husband Clint L., three grandchildren Clint Tyler, Mackenzie Rea and Hunter Paige Alford of Stockton, MO, many nieces, and nephews, Jimmy and Karri Sweaney of Buffalo, Becky Nicholson, Karen Johnson of Omaha, NE, Craig Stilen, of MN, Billy Hensley of Golden, CO, Kim Sweaney, Jenny Charlton of Urbana, Sherri Webb, Terry Bradley, Brenda Kemna of Buffalo, Tom Martin of Fair Grove, Kari Boyles of Germany, Belinda Jasper, Lyndel Sweaney, Glenda Bennett, and Gayla Sweaney, all of Buffalo and many, many cousins!!! Memorial graveside services will be 2:00 pm Saturday, March 27, 2021 in the Sweaney Cemetery in Buffalo, Missouri. Visitation will be from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Dallas Co. Alumni Building in Buffalo, Missouri.