Marion Ruth (McKinley) Splawn

Marion Ruth McKinley Splawn

“I will remember my song in the night; I will meditate with my heart, And my spirit ponders.” 

   Psalm 77:6 (NKJV)

Marion Ruth McKinley Splawn departed this life on February 14, 2021 at the age of 94, to be with the Lord Jesus Christ.  A memorial service celebrating Marion's life will be held at Woodlands Church, Chapel in The Woods, on Saturday, February 27th, at 10:00am followed by a graveside service at 2:00pm at Hayes Grace Memorial Park Cemetery in Santa Fe, TX, officiated by Pastor Alan Splawn. Honoring Marion as pallbearers will be her grandsons, Keith, Chris, Wesley, Jeffrey, Andrew, Joshua, and Jeremy Splawn.  Honorary pallbearers are Kyle Webb, Patrick Webber, and Chris Reyes.

Marion was born at home on January 19, 1927 in Galveston, Texas to her late parents, Roscoe Conklin McKinley, and Louise Elgin McKinley.  She was preceded in death by her loving husband, William James (Bill) Splawn, brothers Robert and James McKinley and sisters Tessabelle Platzer, and Helen Miller.  She is survived by her sister, Elizabeth Warren, her three sons, William (Dub), Don, and Alan Splawn, seven grandsons, three granddaughters, and fourteen great grandchildren.

Marion graduated from Santa Fe High School as co-valedictorian and then Decatur Baptist College, where she earned a teacher’s certificate.  Upon graduation she taught sixth grade and later high school at Santa Fe, TX.  Marion married Bill Splawn on June 25, 1948.  They have three sons, William "Dub" Splawn, and his wife Pam of Paris, TX, Don and his wife, Teresa of Hot Springs, AR, and Alan and his wife, Karen of Conroe, TX.  As a faithful wife, mother, and homemaker, Marion was also a gifted pianist.  She taught piano in her home for over 30 years and served as church pianist for most of her life.  She also received much joy from playing piano for residents at a number of nursing homes in Galveston county and the Woodlands.

“Her children rise up and bless her ... Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”       

Proverbs 31:28-31 (NASV/NIV)

Her grandchildren affectionately remember her for:

Her love for God’s Word, an unwavering faithfulness and loyalty as a wife, her deep love for her family, her heart to develop her talents and gifts with excellence to glorify God to the fullest and selflessly serve others. These traits were all outward workings of her love for her Savior, Jesus Christ, her gratitude for His saving grace, and her desire to make Him known to the generations that followed her.

My word for Grandma is “faithful”.

The first characteristic I think of is giving.  She gave of her time every single time we visited. Waking up early to make breakfast and then seemed like she started lunch immediately after. Same for dinner. She gave of her time to minister to the church and nursing homes with her gift of music.

She was disciplined in her faith, her morals, character, her expectations, and the way she carried herself as a Godly woman. Her character never broke, she was always the same, always loved. 
Her Faithfulness, Strength, Compassion, Caring, Selflessness, Love, Devotion, Patience, Passion, and Benevolence. 

The best word I can think of to describe Grandma is servant, because she was a tireless servant of God. She devoutly read and studied the Bible and would share handwritten index cards with her favorite bible verses with her friends and family. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother but above all else, she was devoted to the Lord. She spent her entire life seeking God’s face, and now she is blessed to truly see His face. 

There are not enough positive words to describe Grandma's character. Grandma was always happy to be a catalyst for fun. She was always so encouraging and full of smiles despite what silly shenanigans we were engaged in. Whether it was playing dominos or dominating us family game night, she always knew how to have fun. Her laugh will be one of my favorite ways to remember her. I'm so glad you get to be at peace with our savior, Grandma. Welcome home. We love you so much. 

“But if … you seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29 (NIV)

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