Mary Ellen Horton

Mary Ellen Horton, longtime resident of Atwood, Kansas, died on March 27, 2021, at the Good Samaritan Center. She was born on October 3, 1921, near the Sappa Creek, west of Achilles, in Rawlins County, to Frankie Brown and Josephine (Josey) Raber Brown. Mary Ellen had two older brothers, Robert Clarence and Thomas Raber (Bud) Brown. She graduated from Atwood High School in 1939. After working for a year for Southwestern Bell, she attended the University of Kansas, in Lawrence. She had the distinction of being one of the first female cheerleaders at the university.

She married William Ryneck Horton, Jr. on April 11, 1942. After Bill returned from the service in WWII, they made their home in Atwood. To this union were born five children: Ellen Ryneck Horton, W.R. Horton, III, Barnabas D. Horton, Jennifer Horton Woofter, and Silas Ryneck Horton. During the early 1950s Mary Ellen accepted Jesus as her personal Savior and was baptized in Lake Atwood and started a Good News Club which met where the museum is presently located. Following the death of her husband in 1980, she served as Chairman of the Board of Farmers Bank & Trust. She retired in December of 1992.

Mary Ellen was a member of the Foo Club, a girls’ club started among friends in Jr. high school that continued throughout her life and sustained lasting relations among the twelve women. She was also a 75-year member of Eastern Star.

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; brothers; daughter Ellen Horton Morgan and a granddaughter, Ashly Horton. She is survived by daughter, Jennifer Woofter (Mike), Colby; three sons, William Ryneck Horton, III, Atwood, Barnabas D. Horton (Cathy) Atwood; and Silas Ryneck Horton, Wichita; grandchildren, Stanley Ward Morgan, Rachael Morgan Decker, Ryneck Morgan Sharp, Taylor Horton Carter, William Ryneck Horton, IV., B.D. Horton, Mary Rachael Horton, Emily Horton Shaffer, Megan Horton Hester, Tenille Schwanke, Taryn Crawford, Quinlynn Carpenter, Quade Woofter, 28 great-grandchildren; two great great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Private services were held by the family at Atwood Fairview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Atwood Second Century Fund, in care of Farmers Bank & Trust, Atwood. For information and condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com