Marietta F. Winfrey

Marietta F. Winfrey passed away on August 28, 2024, in Lawrence, Kansas. Marietta was born to Louis and Phyllis Fergerson in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on December 11, 1948.

Marietta married John Winfrey in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 19, 1969. Marietta and John had known each other all their lives, having attended kindergarten together in Texas. Marietta was a loving and good wife and mother who supported John in his teaching and many careers, beginning in Kitzingen, Germany, where John served in the U.S. Army as a young officer. It was there Marietta gave birth to her first two children. After Germany, John became a public School teacher in Texas for 8 years. From there, they moved to Ada, Oklahoma, where John worked for Army ROTC at East Central Oklahoma State University. The next move took them to St. Louis, Missouri, where John worked in the U.S. Army Records Center. Then, finally, in the summer of 1987, the family moved to Lawrence, Kansas, where John worked in Army ROTC at the University of Kansas before they put down root for good.

In 1989, Marietta and her good friend Deb Danielson established the Little Lambs Daycare in the Indian Hills Neighborhood of Lawrence. For 18 years Little Lambs provided quality and professional home day care for many Lawrence children. In 2006, Marietta closed her business before spending the next 5 years working for Childcare Aware, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Kansas families find solutions for their childcare needs, connecting families and expecting mothers with helpful information and community resources, and assisting early learning programs.

Marietta, a woman of deep faith, was a member of Cornerstone Baptist Church for over 20 years and, in 2011, became a member of First Church of the Nazarene (both of Lawrence, KS). Through emotional and spiritual coaching over the years, Marietta has influenced and impacted many people, especially young people. Though shy as a young woman, Marietta became quite vocal about social and personal freedoms, individual rights, and equality, and she was unafraid to speak up about what she believed in when she thought it was right.

Upon her retirement in 2010, Marietta and John hit the road crisscrossing the United States in their RV. Marietta loved the ocean and the Rocky Mountains. She and John stayed frequently at Jamaica Beach and Port Aransas, Texas, and Golden Gate Canyon State Park in Colorado, where she and John stayed 29 different times between 1978 and 2018.

Sadly, over the last few years, Marietta dealt with various illnesses but showed courage and bravery throughout. Above all else, Marietta was deeply devoted to her family. She passed peacefully in her home with her loving husband and children at her side. Just as she wanted. She was a wonderful wife, mother, friend, mentor, and caregiver to so many. She will not be forgotten.

Marietta is survived by her husband of 56 years, John; five children, Jennifer (Carlo Washington) Younger, Bryan (Lori) Winfrey, Shannon (Freddie) Hammonds, Kristen (Drew) Woods, and Jeremy Winfrey; ten grandchildren, Shelby Winfrey, Jaiden Younger, Breckin Younger, Saylor Winfrey, Kalli Winfrey, Bailey Hammonds, Shayne Hammonds, Elijah Chaffin, Rose Naramore-Winfrey, and Sophia Naramore-Winfrey; and her brother, Stephen (Marianela) Furgerson.

Memorial services for Marietta will be held at the Lawrence First Church of the Nazarene (1470 N 1000 Road) on Friday, October 4, 2024, at 2:00 pm.

Memorial contributions may be made in Marietta’s name to Childcare Aware of Eastern Kansas and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.