Geralyn St. John Lough

Geralyn NaDeane St John Maddux Lough 93, was called home by the Lord of the Church on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at her home in Kearney, MO. She died peacefully from end-stage dementia as her daughter was singing “Just as I Am, without One Plea.”

Geralyn was born on April 30, 1928, to Guy and Pearl Fleek St. John in the home her parents built in Blair, KS. She grew up next door to her grandparents, playing with her cousins, on land purchased around the time of the Civil War. Her family faithfully attended First Baptist Church in St. Joseph, MO where she was baptized at the age of 12. She attended Blair school and graduated from Troy High School in 1945. Her high school years were dominated by World War II, rationing, and all the boys graduating early and leaving for military service.

Geralyn attended KU, joining Sigma Kappa Sorority. There she met Kenneth Maddux, Independence, MO, recently returned from the war. They were married in 1947, first living in the northeast area of Kansas City, MO before moving to the Northland. Their only daughter, Kimberly, was born in 1951. Geralyn was widowed at the age of 32 after Kenneth suffered a heart attack. She began working as a “cafeteria lady” for the North Kansas City School District so she could still be home when her daughter was off school. She forged lasting friendships, and once the women retired, they met monthly for lunch for over twenty years.

She met a fine gentleman with a teenage daughter whom she married on January 7, 1968. She and Bob Lough enjoyed 49 years together before his death in 2017. They lived in Riverside, MO for 42 years before moving to Kearney in 2016. Geralyn was a loving and devoted wife and a wonderful and supportive mother, stepmother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Her grandkids loved Meme’s weekly visits with donuts and cookies. She and Papa took the family on trips, with the beach as a favored destination. At the age of 90, she and Kimberly enjoyed lunch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. As dementia took its toll, however, her daughter lost her best friend.

Geralyn was preceded in death by her parents, her first and second husbands, and her stepdaughter Jeanie Eiler. She is survived by her daughter Kimberly Murphy of Kearney, MO; five grandchildren: The Rev. Matthew Brackman (Sheri) of Texas City, TX; Kathryn Schnare (Mark) of Hale, MO; Dr. Rebekah Ford (Jon) of Clovis, NM; Seth Brackman, J.D.(JaQuita) of Topeka, KS; and Evan Eiler of Kansas City, MO. She also leaves 11 great-grandchildren.

Geralyn was a faithful member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Kansas City, MO., for 58 years and Trinity Lutheran Church, Kearney MO, for 5 years, diligent in attendance and frequent partaker of the Lord’s Supper.

Visitation is Thursday, June 3, 2021, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church, Kearney, MO. The funeral is Friday, June 4, 2021, 11:00 a.m., at the Church, with a luncheon following. Burial afterwards is at Belmont Cemetery, Wathena, KS, with graveside service at 2:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 1715 South Jefferson St., Kearney, Missouri 64060. Online condolences may be made at the funeral home website: www.ChurchArcherPasley.com