Marlys Church

Marlys Church, 77, lifelong New Castle resident, joined her parents Paul and Pauline Church and her best friend, Bob Mathes, in heaven on Friday, January 10, 2025. We are assured the reunion was glorious as she has missed them daily. We are also assured she and Bob are arguing about her driving already. 

She was a teacher for over 30 years, spending almost all of them at Union Elementary, Modoc, where she was an intricate part of the faculty. She spent her entire career supporting teachers' rights supporting and serving in many capacities including ISTA District Council. She was a word smith, had a quick wit, was a champion speller, was a punctuation specialist, was the most generous, and known to her close friends for her faces and funny (and sometimes inappropriate) jokes. She loved all things New Castle including Top Hat, Weenie World, and Lee's. She also loved beyond measure thousands of students who passed through her classroom. She may have been tough, but there was only one reason. She had high expectations for the kids she loved. 

She leaves many friends treasuring her funny ways. Life long friend Dee Malloy (Fred), Pam Houck (Ron), Judy Wilson, Nina Coffin, Marc Adams, Garry Mathes, Kay Sites, Pam Kistler (Tom), Pat Burton (Ed), Susie Hoyt (Paul), her Union north hall teaching family Joyce Wehneman-Pohlschneider (Lloyd), Sandy Barhorst, Sandi Lumpkin, Ann Wisener, Jama Marlow (Jim) , and Mendy Kauffman (Don , Derek (Allycia; Grayson, Wesley, Adeline, Beckham); Dylan, (Bri; Cruz); and DeAnn whom have claimed her as family for over 25 years.) She treated all of her friends' children as her own. She supported us unconditionally and always brought fun (and food) to the moment. We miss her beyond words...even the big words she always threw in her conversations. We miss her faces and her kindness. We are thankful she is not suffering any longer. We are beyond thankful and forever grateful to St. Vincent ICU team 5 who cared for her as if she was their own family. We will pray for Dr. Pierce and his cohorts as their daily journey is not easy, but they are truly champions.

 Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m., Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at Hinsey Brown Funeral Service, New Castle. There will be a private service when she is laid to rest with her parents in Orange, In. Marlys made us promise that after she left us there would be a party for her friends with fun and food supplied by her (of course). Details of that celebration of her life will be forthcoming. We will keep our promise.Marlys dearly loved Memorial Park in New Castle, so in her honor, donations may be given to Memorial Park,  2221 N. Memorial Drive New Castle. You may also share condolences and memories of Marlys at www.hinsey-brown.com.