Mardelle (Scott) Young Sowell, 92, of Coffeyville, Kansas passed away on February 12, 2025 at Medicalodges Nursing Home in Coffeyville, Kansas. She was born on December 6, 1932 in rural Mound Valley, Kansas to Paul and Gladys (Peterson) Scott. Mardelle grew up in rural Labette County where she attended grade schools and graduated from Labette County Community High School in Altamont, Kansas
In 1950. She attended Evansville College in Evansville, Indiana for 1 year and in 1988 completed her Associate of Arts Degree at Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kansas. Mardelle worked at The Kansas State Hospital for Epileptics and Kansas Ordinance Plant in Parsons, Kansas and Evansville State Hospital in Evansville, Indiana where she met her first love.
On May 7, 1954, she married Donald Z. Young in Evansville, Indiana. They were blessed with three children. She was a stenographer at the McConnel Air Force Base as a private citizen in Wichita, worked at Kansas Continental Can in Coffeyville, Kansas, and Deere Manufacturing (Funk) where she retired in 1993. After retiring, she held part time positions with HealthWave, Safe Kids and Four County Mental Health. After Donald’s passing in 1990, she found her second love and married Benny Sowell on December 12, 1992 in Coffeyville, Kansas. She was active in CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) serving as a volunteer for 25 years as well as a Director and Board Member. She was a member of the Tyro Christian Church for over 30 years and took part in the church’s Joy Group as well as volunteered for VBS. In retirement, if she wasn’t out fishing with Benny, you could find her volunteering her time providing rides for others to church, medical appointments or just being there for others. Mardelle liked to travel and spend time with family. Some of her fondest memories were spent hosting holiday family functions and playing games with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, especially Chinese Rummy and Creature Castle.
Survivors include two sons, Mike (Julie) Young of Edgerton, Kansas and Kip (Tammy) Young of Gardner, Kansas; one daughter, Tammy (Darrel) Gray of Coffeyville, Kansas; two step-daughters, Melinda (the late Roy) Carr of Coffeyville, Kansas; Nancy (Mike) Nash of Branson, Missouri. She leaves behind five grandchildren, Kelly Hanna, Shelly (Thomas) Slavin, Kristi (Thomas) McQuary, Aubrey (Daniel) Foye and Trenton Young; nine great-grandchildren, Dani Hanna, Colton Slavin, Sol Michael Hanna, Addison Slavin, Mason McQuary, and Micah, Maisie, Trinity & Truly Foye; as well as many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren, family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, Donald Young, her second husband, Benny Sowell, her brother, Walter Dale Scott, her sister, Francis Pauline Scott, a step son-in-law, Roy Carr and a very special step-grandson, Matt Swigart.
Visitation with family present to greet friends will be held on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at the Tyro Christian Church in Tyro, Kansas. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at Tyro Christian Church in Tyro, Kansas. Evangelist David Bycroft will officiate. Cremation has taken place. To view a livestream of the service, please visit Mardelle's memorial page at www.dwbfh.com
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Tyro Christian Church; contributions may be left with or mailed in care of David W. Barnes Funeral Home, 306 N. Cline Rd., Coffeyville, Kansas 67337.
