Alta Corrine Feuerborn passed away peacefully in the presence of all of her loving family on Friday, September 24, 2021, at the age of 84. Alta was born on September 27, 1936, in Iowa to Sherman and Fern Turner. Alta grew up in several surrounding states but eventually settled in Kansas City.
She met her husband, Merle Feuerborn, while they were working together at General Motors. He fondly remembers that “one of my best friends bet me five bucks that she wouldn’t go out with me, and I won. Look at all I’ve won!” They were married on September 14, 1963, at Christ the King Catholic Church in Kansas City and recently celebrated 58 years of marriage.
Together they raised eleven children. They welcomed six sons—Marty, Paul, Michael, John, Joseph, and Andrew. They were also blessed with five daughters—Pamela, Mary, Anna, Amy, and Sarah.
Alta was a strong woman of devout Catholic faith who worked tirelessly to care for her family and instill in each of her children all the values and teachings of the church that she cherished so much. She dedicated her life to not only caring for her family but fought with everything she had to save the life of her youngest son, Andy, through 20 years of cancer treatments and countless surgeries before losing him to the disease at the age of 22. Her strength was tested again when her oldest son, Marty, was also diagnosed with cancer five years ago and suffered another heartbreaking loss when he passed away in April at the age of 56. Although it lessens our grief in no way, we can take a measure of comfort in knowing that she is finally reunited with her sons.
Many people will remember Alta as a deeply spiritual woman with boundless energy who was always on the go trying to do what she could for others. She was a wonderful cook who was known for some pretty amazing dishes like The Big Sandwich, homemade pizza, handmade noodles, coconut cream pie, and Thanksgiving dinner with all of the trimmings as well as some specialties never to be duplicated (we mean you, ice cream roll). She took such joy in spending time with her children and grandchildren even if it was just listening to her funny, meandering stories sprinkled here and there with her famous saying, “long story longer”.
Along with being a devoted and loving wife, she took great pride in what she considered her most important role in life - that of being a mother. And so, Mother, enjoy your richly deserved heavenly reward and pray that we live our lives in the way that you taught us so that we may one day see you again.
Alta was preceded in death by her sons, Andrew Feuerborn and Marty Feuerborn, her parents, Sherman and Fern Turner, stepmother Audrey Turner, and siblings Sharon Turner, Ginger Edrington, and Glen Turner.
She leaves her cherished memories to husband Merle, daughter Pamela Hoover (Rob), daughter Mary Mize (Mike), son Paul Feuerborn (Mike), son Mike Feuerborn (Susan), son John Feuerborn (Carly), daughter Anna Beckwith (Doug), son Joe Feuerborn (Lisa), daughter Amy Cain (Jimmy), and daughter Sarah Harbaugh (Jim). She will also be greatly missed by her many grandchildren, Melanie Courtney (John), Tim Calvin (Heather), Elisha Lester (Jamiel), Patty Friend, Rachael Feuerborn (Luis), Kara Feuerborn (Tyler), Lauren Feuerborn (Bob), Lindsay Feuerborn, Johanna Feuerborn, Melanie Feuerborn, Kylie Feuerborn (Sully), Jake Feuerborn, Luke Feuerborn, Kennedy Feuerborn, Kylar Feuerborn, Lilly Beckwith, Andrew Beckwith, Joseph Cain, Addison Harbaugh, Katherine Harbaugh, Jack Harbaugh, and John Harbaugh. She was also survived by great-grandchildren, Jude Courtney, Immy Calvin, Jacob Lester, Kali Lester, Zowie Friend, and Halla Friend. Her surviving siblings are Sandi Kremer, Randy Turner, and Larry Turner.
Alta will always be remembered fondly by her many friends and friends of the family.