Donnalee Marcene Broadfoot
October 18, 1927 ~ October 27, 2023
Donnalee Marcene Broadfoot passed away peacefully on October 27, 2023, surrounded by family in her home in Weston, Missouri after a brief illness.
Marcene was born October 18, 1927 to E. Gail and Erma Betts in Detroit, Kansas. She graduated from Dickinson County Community High School in 1945, and after taking the civil service exam, she moved to Manhattan, Kansas.
She worked in the Alumni Office at Kansas State University across the hall from the college president, Milton Eisenhower, who enjoyed frequent visits from his brother, General Ike Eisenhower. In 1949, Leroy Broadfoot and Marcene were married and moved to Abilene, Kansas, where they raised their two daughters, Carla and Cathy.
Marcene worked in the county attorney’s office and a local bank. When her daughters were in grade school, she continued her education, obtaining her undergraduate and master's degrees from Kansas State University. She taught English at Abilene High School and, upon retirement, served as sorority mother for Kappa Delta, Tri-Delt and ADPi houses at Kansas State University.
In 1997, Marcene moved to Weston, Missouri, to be near family, where she enjoyed being a part of her daughter’s retail business and was an active member of the United Methodist Church. Throughout her life, Marcene was an avid reader, gardener, exemplary seamstress and cook, and she enjoyed traveling throughout North America and visiting Europe.
She was a devoted grandmother and a dedicated Wildcat fan. Marcene was preceded in death by her husband, Leroy Broadfoot, her parents, and her sisters, Leone Simpson and Sandra Reiff. She is survived by her daughter Carla (Bob) Miller, Big Rapids, Michigan; daughter Cathy Murdock, Weston, Missouri; granddaughter McKenna Murdock, Los Angeles, California; nieces Vicky Simpson Packard and Robin Reiff (Steve) Brace; and nephews Cary (Connie) Simpson and Terry (Angie) Reiff.
A visitation will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, November 4, at Danner Funeral Home in Abilene, Kansas, with services at 2 p.m. Graveside services will be at Prairiedale Cemetery north of Talmage. Gifts can be made to Kansas State University Foundation - College of Education in Marcene’s name. Contributions may also be sent to Danner Funeral Home, 501 N Buckeye, Abilene, Kansas 67410.