Mildred M. Reling

Mildred Marie Kincheloe was the first daughter and child born to Floyd Howe and Carrie Celeste Stites Kincheloe at their rural home in Odessa Township, west of Ionia, Jewell Co, KS.
Mildred's elementary education was from teachers at the Yapp School. She traveled 3½ miles in carts and buggies for the eight years attending the school during good and bad weather. Mildred experienced farm work during her teen years at home and while working for other families. Those were days without many conveniences of electricity and running water; washing on washboards and ironing with hot irons.
Mildred became the bride of Harold LeRoy Reling on 21 November 1934 in Ulysses, Kansas with a favorite Aunt in attendance – Aunt Ruth M. Kincheloe Gall.
This couple returned to the Cottonwood Community northeast of Cawker City to make their home on a farm. Here their children were born – Dorothy Marie on 23 July 1939 and son Donald Carl on 13 Nov 1945.
In 1967 they purchased their future home in Cawker City when Harold was employed as the custodian for the schools.
Mildred has been a wonderful wife and mother through her life –not only mother to her children – also to many kids, babies and older kids of neighbors and her nieces and nephews. If there was a baby anywhere near Mildred she soon had it in her arms and on her lap, through generations of kids.
Mildred was always good natured, looking on the good side of everything that happened. She was the most generous person, ready and willing to share anything she had. She was always eager to have company or guests for a meal. She was a mentor to many of us through her lifetime.
Mildred had many talents: preparing every kind of delicious food; many kinds of hand work – perfect knitting, sewing her clothes, crocheting, quilting and many afghans for every baby she knew about in addition to dozens of afghans for nieces, nephews & their children.
Mildred was the oldest in her family. She was blessed with three brothers: Glen Wilbur, Floyd Keith and Donald Howe Kincheloe. A sister Wilma was taken from this life as an infant in 1918. She was preceded in death by her father, 1929, a step-father, Archer M. Countryman in 1963, her mother in 1968, brothers Donald 1980, Glen in 1991 and Keith in 2001, his wife Mary in 2002 and her husband Harold L. Reling on 03 Apr 1997. She was also preceded in death by brothers-in-law Carl Reling in 2001 & wife Clorene in 1998 and Vernon Reling in 2002 and wife Venda Lee in 2007 She is survived by her daughter, Dorothy Marie and son, Donald Carl and his wife, Sharon Kay Loyd Reling. Grandma was proud of her Grandchildren, Pamila and husband Bill Brummer, Paula and husband, Darrin Wendlandt, Great-grandchildren: Levi Donald and Wyatt Joseph Brummer; Chase Allen and Trey Alexander Turner. She also enjoyed the neighbor kids and any kid that called her Grandma. She is also survived by sisters-in-laws who are more like sisters, Celia Norton Kincheloe, Viola White Kincheloe, Elizabeth Reling Boxum and husband Ben.
She was especially fond of all her nieces, nephews and their families; Gail Kincheloe, deceased; Marjorie Kincheloe Slaughter & husband Robert, Laramie, WY; Kenneth Kincheloe, Boulder, CO; Michael Kincheloe, Cawker City, KS; Michael Reling & wife Karen, Costa Mesa, CA; Virginia Reling Young, Ft. Collins, CO; Vivian Boxum Covey & husband Marlo, Hull, IA; Stephen Boxum & wife Carolyn, Abbotsford, BC Canada; Lavonne Boxum Geleynse & husband Greg, Mt. Vernon, WA; David Boxum & wife Peggy, Eden Prairie, MN; Dianna Reling Coad & husband Ron, Salina, KS; Daniel Reling & wife Jenni, Beloit, KS; Dennis Reling, Cawker City, KS; David Reling and wife Glenna, Cawker City, KS; all grand and great grand nieces and nephews
Death came swiftly this Tuesday afternoon and took her from us at 6:30 pm on 19 August 2008. Mildred was allowed to spend 95 years 3 months and 3 days doing good among families, relatives and friends.

Funeral Services will be at 11:00 AM Saturday at the Cawker City United Methodist Church with burial at Prairie Grove Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the church or the Cawker City Senior Center. Visitation will be from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM Friday at the church.