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In memory of

Martha Jane Dooley

Haysville, KS

March 23, 1944 - June 6, 2019

Mar 23, 1944 - Jun 6, 2019

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Martha Jane (Mitchell) Dooley, 75, passed away June 6th, 2019 in Wichita, KS.

Marty was born March 23rd, 1944 in Pratt, KS to James D. and Wilma Mitchell. When she was 3, Wilma passed and later Jim married Ada Lillieqvist, who became Marty’s mom.

She was raised on a ranch 30 miles from the nearest town between Etna and Deerhead, KS where she attended school in a two room schoolhouse. She often bragged about being the fastest kid in her class, and that was because she was the ONLY kid in her class! When she started high school she moved into town and stayed with the basketball coach and was a nanny to his kids and taught them piano lessons. She was involved in 4H where she won numerous sewing, baking and Livestock Judging awards. She was the first person to enter a black baldy steer into the Barber County Fair, causing quite a ruckus because they had no idea how to classify her entry. They decided to put her in with the Black Angus where she ended up as the Grand Champion Runner Up to her older brother, Bob. She graduated from Medicine Lodge High School in 1962.

From a young age Marty loved music and was an amazing piano player. She accompanied groups while attending high school at Medicine Lodge as well as when she attended college at Emporia State and Northwestern Oklahoma State University. She also played for several churches she attended and most recently she accompanied the choirs at Clearwater High School and Middle School.

It was when she was attending college at NWOSU that she met and married Mike Dooley. Marty’s parents didn’t approve of Mike one bit and said the marriage would never last. On May 15th, 2019 Mike and Marty celebrated 54 years together. With her marriage to Mike she became a stepmother to Mike’s daughter Marci and together they raised 3 daughters as well as Mike’s little brothers! Mike and Marty lived in Alva, Oklahoma for the majority of their marriage moving to the Wichita area in 1989.

Marty was an avid reader and loved crossword puzzles. She was also a history buff, so how fitting that she would pass on D-Day. Sharp as a tack, she never forgot a birthday, anniversary or important date in history. She was so smart! She loved flowers and working in her yard and man could she cook. Homemade pies and chocolate sheet cake were her specialties, but everything she made was delicious. She just never made enough. Many times she’d have the family over for dinner and somehow feed the whole crew on one pound of hamburger and two handfuls of noodles. The greatest joy of her life was spending time with her family, especially the grandkids and great grandkids.

Marty’s first job out of high school was in downtown Wichita at Woolworths. She lived in her Uncle Ron and Aunt Corrien’s basement- quite a shock after being 30 miles from the nearest town most of her life. She held several administrative positions throughout her life and retired from Pizza Hut Corporation in Oct of 1998. She was also the family tax lady!

She is preceded in death by her birth mother, her parents and her brother, Bob. She is survived by her husband, Mike; Mike’s daughter Marci and husband, Kenny of Las Vegas, Nevada. Robin and husband, Veldon, of Clearwater, KS. Raelyn and husband, Ron of Haysville, KS. Amber and husband, Ray, also of Haysville, KS. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren, Kristopher Franta and wife Katie, Danielle Ginder, Noelle Castello, Kortney, Justin and Emily Hassell, Calin Meyer and wife Paiton and Jessica Meyer Briana Dooley and Levi and Chloe Nice. Surviving Great grand kids include Kapri, Kynlee and Kaiya Falcon, Mila Franta and Daniel Grimm, Rachael Hanson and one on the way. Let’s not forget her best friend, Susan Boatwright and numerous relatives and friends.

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