Maryanna Williams, age 75 of rural Paola, left her earthly vessel behind for her eternal home in glory early Monday morning September 28, 2009. She was at home with family around her as she ended her long battle with Multiple Myeloma.

Maryanna was born in the farm home of her parents, Clifford Charles, Sr. and Florence Esther (Dunbar) Diehm in Miami Twp. on July 25, 1934. She attended Fairview country school her first 7 years and then Osawatomie High School, graduating in 1951.

She came to know Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior at 13 through Spring Grove Quaker Church. After high school, she attended Friend’s University in Wichita for two years before beginning a teaching career.

She taught at Green Valley, Wagstaff and Scott Valley country schools, meeting her future husband through a student at Wagstaff.

On June 2, 1955, Maryanna was united in marriage to Tommy Darrell Williams of Hillsdale at the bride’s home. They ran a family dairy and became the parents of five children (Marcia, Jeff, Gwen, Kevin and Mike) on a farm NE of Hillsdale before moving to rural Paola in March of 1966.

Maryanna substitute taught for 10 years in Miami and Linn counties and then received her teaching degree from Ottawa University, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1972. She taught third grade in Osawatomie from 1973 – 1995.

Very involved in church life since the second grade, Maryanna was a member of Spring Grove Quaker Church, then the Elm Grove Baptist Church at Chiles and, since 1965, the First Baptist Church of Paola. She taught Sunday school since age 13.

Besides her church membership, she was co-chapter leader with her husband of the Miami County Chapter of the Compassionate Friends, the calling committee chairman of Miami County Area Retired Teacher’s Association, the exhibits chairman, special events coordinator, Mound Township Director and speaker for the Miami County Swan River Museum, and a member of the ADK teaching sorority and the hospital auxiliary.

She enjoyed genealogy, reading, history events, canning and crocheting.

Maryanna was preceded in death by her parents and a baby sister, Anna. On September 3, 1984, she lost two sons, Jeffery and Michael.

Survivors are her husband, Darrell, of the home; children: Marcia and Jim Cooper of Paola, Gwendolyn and Mark Behrends of Lincoln, Neb., Kevin and Marsha Williams of Neodesha; brother: Clifford Diehm, Jr. of rural Osawatomie; grandchildren: Sarah Giles, Leroy and Lucas Henning; great granddaughter: Alexis Giles; step grandchildren: Mickelle Swartz, Marcus O’Rear, T.J. and Santana Werner and step great-grandchildren: Kevin and Alyssa Swartz.

Services will be Thursday, Oct. 1, at 1:30 pm at First Baptist Church with a visitation Wednesday from 6 to 8:00 pm at Penwell-Gabel Paola Chapel. Burial will be in Mound Creek Cemetery. Memorials in lieu of flowers are requested to the First Baptist Church Elevator Principle Fund or the Swan River Museum. To leave condolences, go to penwellgabelpaola.com.