Kathleen 'Kay' Marley Somerville

Kathleen "Kay" (Marley) Somerville, age 88, a resident of Chillicothe, Missouri, passed away at Shawnee Mission Medical Center in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, on Tuesday, February 22, 2011. Kay was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 23, 1922, the daughter of John Sheeks and Louise Augusta (Aurich) Marley. She graduated from Southwest High School in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1939. She went on to attend Wellesley College, in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and graduated in 1943. A veteran of World War II, Kay served as a Lieutenant j.g. with one of the first contingents of US Navy WAVES. On January 27, 1948, she married Ronald Lee Somerville, a fellow University of Missouri Law School classmate, in Columbia, Missouri. Kay served as a teacher, homemaker and was an active volunteer for over 50 years in countless Chillicothe and Livingston County civic activities. She was a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Kay was a past Senior Warden and longtime Vestry member of Grace Episcopal Church in Chillicothe. In 2009 she was cited for her longstanding service and was awarded "The Bishop's Shield" by the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri. In 1988 she represented Missouri as an Alternate Delegate to the Republican National Convention in New Orleans. Kay was a member and past Regent of the Olive Prindle Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Her other memberships included Colonial Dames of the 17th Century, Livingston County Republican Women, Daughters of the King at Grace Episcopal Church, Grand River Historical Society, Sorosis, Shakespeare Club and Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. During her 70-year membership in the Girl Scouts she served as a local Girl Scout Troop Leader. Kay was also an avid dog lover and enjoyed birdwatching. Survivors include one son, Peter Marley Somerville and wife Mary of Vienna, Virginia; three daughters, Kimberly Somerville Hughes of Shawnee, Kansas, Shelley Somerville Reed and husband Stephen of Hamilton, Missouri, and Brynell "Nini" Somerville of Chillicothe, Missouri; eight grandchildren, Alexander Hughes of San Ramon, California, David Hughes of Las Vegas, Nevada, Christine Hughes of Oakland, California, Emily Somerville of Austin, Texas, Lynette Reed Oyster of Kansas City, Missouri, David Reed of St. Louis, Missouri, Mary Elizabeth Reed of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Katherine Reed of Hamilton, Missouri; four great grandchildren, Avery, Owen and Gemma Hughes, all of San Ramon, California, and Elsie Oyster of Kansas City, Missouri. Her parents and her husband Judge Ronald Lee Somerville of the Missouri Court of Appeals preceded her in death. Funeral services will be held at the Grace Episcopal Church, Chillicothe, Missouri, on Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. There will be a scheduled family visitation at Lindley Funeral Home, Chillicothe, Missouri, on Friday, February 25, 2011, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Friends may call the funeral home on Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Interment will be held in Edgewood Cemetery, Chillicothe, Missouri. Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Episcopal Church or the Olive Prindle Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and may be left at or mailed to Lindley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 47, Chillicothe, Missouri 64601. Online Condolences may be made at www.lindleyfuneralhome.com . Arrangements are under the direction of Lindley Funeral Home, Chillicothe, Missouri.