Elma Lucille Marshall

Elma Lucille Hale Marshall, 89, died Wednesday, November 1, 2017 in Bolivar, MO. Elma was born August 25, 1928 to her loving parents James Dennis and Jennie Redd Hale. She was one of 15 children. As a young girl she enjoyed playing outdoors with her brothers and sisters and helping her mother care for her younger siblings. On February 9, 1946 she married Homer Bickel Marshall and they were blessed with two wonderful children, Mary Francis and Robert “Bob” Wayne Marshall. Like so many young wives during WWII, Elma kept the home fires burning while her husband served his country in a time of war. During Homer’s twenty-year career in the Air Force, the family called many different places home. Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, Watkins Glen, NY, San Antonio, TX, Saint Louis, MO and Whiteman Air Force Base in MO were all called home. Elma made many friends during these years and enjoyed telling stories about the wonderful people she met. After Homer retired from the military, the family settled in Springfield, MO where Elma worked as a hairdresser in South Springfield. During this time the family enjoyed many wonderful vacations around the country including Florida and Colorado. In later years, both Homer and Elma enjoyed showing their grandchildren and great-grandchildren pictures of these trips and telling them about the wonderful experiences the family had while traveling and visiting new places. In 1962 Homer and Elma bought a large farm in Brighton, MO and eventually moved there to farm and help raise their grandchildren. They raised Holstein calves and beef cattle. During this time Elma became interested in Arabian horses and eventually purchased a famous horse named Poppy Hill Ibn. The entire family would travel on weekends to horse shows around the area where Elma and her two granddaughters, April and Brandi, would show the horses in Native Arabian Costume, English and Western Pleasure competitions. Elma won numerous awards and raised many champion horses in the 1970’s and 1980’s. She made many wonderful lifetime friends during this time and remained close to them until her death. In the early 1980’s Homer and Elma sold their farm and moved to Bolivar, Mo where they became active in the Bolivar United Methodist Church. Over the years Elma attended many different bible studies and was active in the sewing club at the church. She appreciated her church family and the many visits she received after she became ill. Elma always provided a warm meal to anyone who visited and made sure that her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were always full. She was proceeded in death by her parents Jim and Jennie Hale, her siblings Tressie, Clifford, Adrian, Dorothy, Erma, Edna, Elgie, Orlan, Willa, Gene, Jennabelle, Jimmie and Martha Lue and her loving husband of 55 years, Homer. She is survived by her brother Carl Hale and wife Trudy of Salem, MO, her children, Mary Francis Moore of Bolivar, MO and Robert “Bob” Wayne Marshall and his wife Regina of Springfield, MO, seven grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. Visitation will be held at the Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar, MO at 1:00 PM with the funeral to follow at 2:00 PM. Internment will be at Mount View Cemetery.

Elma Lucille Marshall

August 18, 1928 - November 1, 2017