Marcella Marie McNeill Luther

Monday, May 6, 2002

Marcella Marie McNeill Luther, 84, died April 30, 2002 in Fountain in the Sun, Mesa. She had been in poor health the past two years. Of the many problems, lung cancer was probably the final blow. She endured these misfortunes with the same fortitude and courage that she exhibited throughout her life.

She was born July 9, 1917, in Indianola, Nebraska to Alta Helm and John McNeill. Her early education was made possible by the use of a pony cart that she and her siblings used to go from their farm to Indianola schools.

Marcella was a good student. She graduated from Indianola High School in 1935 where she studied normal training. She missed being top in her class by only a fraction of a percentage point. She had something more valuable than a scholarship and that was determination.

Rural elementary schools employed Marcella right out of high school. She taught in one-room schools from Kansas to the Wyoming border. Using this income, she was able to attend Chadron State College in Nebraska during the summers.

It was in Chadron in 1936 that she met her life-long husband, Clayton. They were married August 18, 1940 by the local Methodist minister. Marcella and Clayton had two sons, John C and David I. Luther. As soon as they were in school for the whole day, Marcella enrolled in Eastern Michigan University where she earned a bachelor degree in elementary education. With this degree she was certified to teach in Michigan schools. She taught and substituted in Novi, Michigan until she decided to concentrate on homemaking and raising her two sons.

Marcella was well traveled in North America having visited or toured all 50 states and all of the border provinces of Canada and Mexico. She would have like to have visited Germany.

The second World War and her husband's employment moves denied her a special place as home. After many stops from Nebraska to Michigan she finally spent 15 years in Lexington, Michigan, wintering for 19 years in Fountain of the Sun, Mesa. In all those moves she acquired dear friends and neighbors. Marcella decided that when she could no longer travel back and forth from Michigan to Arizona that she would make her permanent home in Fountain of the Sun.

Marcella enjoyed handicrafts, especially ceramics, making many articles to be used or to decorate her homes.

She is survived by "Dog" and her husband, Clayton; also their two sons, John and wife, Yvonne and David and wife, Carolyn, three grandchildren, Johnelle, Lori and John Luther. She also has two step grandchildren, Scott and Laura Remuer. She has one surviving sister, Lois and brother-in-law, John Sines of McCook.

Nephews include Pat McNeill, Kent Carter, Steve, Gary and Mike Sines, nieces, Brenda Smith, Kristen Snare, Cathleen Cook and Sandy Morrison.

Her parents, two brothers and a sister preceded her in death.

Bunker Family Home in Mesa handles the arrangements. Marcella will be interred in the Indianola Grove Cemetery with her parents, brothers and sister.

Visitation will be at the Carpenter Funeral Home of Indianola on Monday, May 6. Funeral services will be Tuesday, May 7 at 11 a.m., at the funeral home with Jerry Beckenhauer officiating.

Carpenter Funeral Home of Indianola is in charge of the arrangements.