Marsha June Jeffries, 72, of Salina, went home to see her Lord on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015, while surrounded by family and friends.
Marsha was born on May 2, 1943, in Salina to Arlo and Wanda Strange. She worked for Salina South High School as the head bread maker in the school’s cafeteria for 28 years, until she retired in 2008.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years of marriage, James W. Jeffries; her children, Rhonda (James) Hollingsworth, of Forth Worth, Texas, Bryan (Melinda) Jeffries, of Honey Grove, Texas, James (Charlene) Jeffries, of Salina; and six grandchildren, Alec Hollingsworth, Ethan Jeffries, Brandon Jeffries, Chloe Jeffries, Bryce Hollingsworth and Brayden Jeffries.
She is also survived by her brother, Raymond (Twyla) Strange; two sisters, Caroline Slack and Cleala (Raymond) Anderson; and several nieces and nephews.
Marsha was a devout Christian who loved and worshipped God with her “whole heart, soul and mind.” Her greatest desire was to see her family “come to the Lord, walk with him, and to serve him the rest of their lives.” Her family was of extreme importance to her. She would always take the extra time to make sure her family knew how special they were and how proud she was of them. She never missed taking the time to call and send cards to her family and friends. Home cooking and baking was one of her specialties. Her family was always certain for holidays and special occasions that she would find the time to make her famous apple pie, cookies, breads and other special treats.
She also had a special affinity for angels and bells, which was reflected in her extensive home collection. Roses of all colors and varieties were her favorite flower, but she especially admired the yellow- and amber-colored rose bushes she had in her home gardens.
Visitation will be held from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3, at Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. Eighth St., Salina.
Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 4, at Grand Avenue United Methodist Church, 304 W. Grand Avenue. Interment will be in Roselawn Memorial Park.
Memorials may be directed to Grand Avenue United Methodist Church or Tammy Walker Cancer Center.
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John Istas, age 77, longtime Concordia resident, entered into rest on December 31, 2015 at the Salina Regional Health Center. He was born June 29, 1938 in North Branch, Kansas to Caliste J. and Evon R. (Demars) Istas.
“Dr. Dee”, as she was called by her students, was a founding member of
Las Positas College in Livermore, California. She was selected, along
with a maverick group of Chabot College faculty, to begin this College as, first, a counselor, then forming the College’s first counseling department and then serving as Assistant Dean, Associate Dean and finally, as Dean of Student Services at the College. She retired as Dean Emeritus in 2003, after a 41 year career in community colleges.
Dee earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree at the University of
Kansas and supervised the vocal music program at Antioch Schools in
Kansas City. She then moved to California to earn her Master of Arts
degree in counseling psychology at Stanford University. She completed
her doctorate degree at the University of San Francisco in counseling
and organizational leadership. She also studied life coaching with Dave
Ellis and earned a certificate in Spiritual Direction from Claritas
Institute, a school for interspiritual mentors. Most recently, she
completed a prayer chaplain training program and has served as prayer
chaplain at Tri-Valley Unity Church since 2007.
Dee was married to Richard Roshong and later divorced.
Her long term counseling career included organizing 33 annual mental-
physical health symposia for Las Positas College and Cal State East Bay. She brought the “greats” of the mind-body psychology movement to the College and University as speakers in the service of improving the
health of the community. Her gift, however, was in counseling people individually. She had a deep respect for the talents of other persons and helped them to find their talent and their “rightful place” in her counseling process. She helped them to find humor in their circumstances and to therefore approach lightly their various plights, which she viewed as “life lessons”. After she retired from the College, she continued her counseling and life coaching career at Experience Unlimited and used her prayer chaplain skills at Tri-Valley Unity Church.
Dee was a talented musician and long term member of the Tri-Valley
Unity Church choir, where she also served as Church Board President
during the founding years of the Church and later as Vice President of the Board.
Dee’s close adoptive family preceded her in death. She was adopted at 6 days old by Vernon and Doradell Daniels of Beloit, Kansas and had the blessing of two grandmothers and one grandfather in her life. She was an only child, as were her parents. She counted as her valued mentor, her cousin, Dr. Martha Peterson of Madison, Wisconsin.
In 2004, after a long term search. Dee discovered her birth family and
found in them close friendships as they came to know each other in later
life. They are: Jeanie Shipley, sister, of Prescott, Arizona; Ron and Rita
Garner, brother and sister-in-law, of Burns Flat, Oklahoma and Tom and
Carole Garner, brother and sister -in-law. of Yukon, Oklahoma. They
along with many cousins and nieces and nephews, survive. Dee is also
survived by her many students and friends. In particular, she is grateful
for her best friend, Georgia Cestaro.
Graveside services will be held Wednesday, January 6 at 10:30 a.m at Elmwood Cemetery, Beloit.