Marie B. Buller

Marie Bernice Janes Buller, 109, died on March 22, 2017 at Schowalter Villa in Hesston, KS.

She was born on 9-30-1907 on a farm near Goltry, OK. Her parents were Elizabeth (Kroeker) and Albert Carol Jones.

At the age of 109, Marie has lived through many historical events. She lived thru 19 presidents, the roll-out of the automobile, the Women’s Suffrage movement, the Roaring 20’s, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War Civil Rights, a man landing on the moon, Watergate and the technology revolution in progress.

Marie was born as one of eight children and grew up on a farm in Oklahoma. Buller was the only one of the eight that finished high school. She graduated from Goltry High School in 1927. She enjoyed learning and her two favorite subjects were arithmetic and spelling. It was important to Marie to stay sharp and educated.

While she was still in high school she met her husband and they married shortly after graduation. Marie was 19 when they married. He was a hard worker, a farmer and a very kind man. They worked as a team helping each other with each aspect of farming and making their life together.

Marie and John had two children to this marriage, Norma and Delbert. Norma passed away at the age of 3 from pneumonia. Delbert passed away in 2014.

In 1957, Marie and John moved their family to Fort Scott in 1954and after two years they then moved to Newton. While in Newton Marie started working for Bethel Hospital as a nurse’s aide. Soon after she started they moved her to the surgical ward. Marie loved helping others and was wonderful with patients. After her retirement at the age of 65, Marie kept herself busy.

She was an avid KU basketball fan, even received several birthday cards from Bill Self. While she was in high school, Marie even played basketball, and fell in love with the sport instantly. She also enjoyed knitting, crocheting, sewing, and recently the young children from the Hesston Child Care Center.
After John died, Marie lived alone for nearly 20 years. She decided that being alone was not what was best for her. She moved to Schowalter Villa in 2014.

During her lifetime, she was also employed by the Hillsdale school district in the lunchroom, the telephone office and the owner of gas station in Hillsdale, all in Oklahoma.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her loving husband John; daughter Norma, son Delbert, brothers, Clyde, Lester, Leonard , Fay E. Janes; sisters, Mabel Janes, and Lorene T. Unruh.

Survivors include her sister Helen Pekrul, granddaughter and husband Judy (Ed) DeWitt, Hesston; grandson, Scott Buller, Red Oak, TX; granddaughter and husband Marcy (Monte) Lagree, Newton; Great Grandchildren, Jennifer (Nic) Esquivel, Tara Jacobs and Chris Jacobs, Wayne Buller and Wendy Buller; great great grandchildren, Aidan, Isabella Marie and Isaac Esquivel, Chloe Bunn, Javin Jacobs and Braxton Swarts; many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visitation will be on Friday, March 24th, from 1:00 -8:00 P.M. at Broadway Colonial Funeral Home. Family will greet visitors from 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M.

Funeral Services will be held at 4:00 P.M. at Schowalter Villa Chapel in Hesston on Saturday, March 25th.
Burial will be on Sunday, March 26th at 2:00 P.M. at the Goltry Cemetery in Goltry, OK.

Memorials may be made to the First Church of the Nazarene, Good Shepherd Hospice or Schowalter Villa, all in care of the funeral home at 120 E. Broadway, Newton, KS 67114.