Madge Lucille Hastings Ghormley

Madge Lucille Hastings Ghormley passed peacefully from this life on Monday, July 21, 2025, at the age of 94. A woman of quiet strength, unwavering love, and deep resilience, she leaves behind a legacy rooted in family, faith, and a lifetime of hard, honest work.
Madge was born on August 27, 1930, to Horace and Viola Hudson Hastings. One of eleven children, she was raised in a home filled with both hardship and deep, abiding love. In that bustling household, Madge learned the values that would shape her entire life-perseverance, humility, and the importance of caring for others. Hers was a childhood that demanded strength, and she carried that strength with her through every season of her life.
On November 8, 1948, she married the love of her life, Mark Morrise Ghormley, in Washington County, Arkansas. Together, they built a life not just on land, but on the strong, unshakable foundations of faith, devotion, and family. Their marriage was a partnership of shared labor and laughter, and together they raised three children:
Barbara Partain and her husband Danny of Chance, Oklahoma; Linda Brown (Leonard) of Tahlequah, Oklahoma; and James Ghormley of Siloam Springs, Arkansas.
Madge was deeply proud of her children, each of whom carries forward her love, her lessons, and her unwavering spirit.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Mark; her parents, Horace and Viola; and all ten of her siblings-brothers Forest, James, Harold (Buck), Chester, Tommy, Joe, Bill, and Eugene; and sisters Alene Hardwick and Lois Elmore. We trust they are now joyfully reunited, a family made whole again.
Madge's devotion reached far beyond her immediate family. She was the loving grandmother of Melissa White and her husband John of Bella Vista, Arkansas, and Kelly Willis of Chance, Oklahoma. Her grandchildren brought her endless joy and pride. In her later years, she found deep delight in her great-grandchildren: Derek Willis, Blake Willis, and Caden Willis of Chance, and Jordan and Lauren White of Bella Vista, Arkansas. Her legacy grew even further with the birth of her great-great-granddaughter, Blakely Willis of Henryetta, Oklahoma-a child who may not remember her, but whose life will always be touched by the love that made her world possible.
Madge is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews who cherished her dearly.
Madge was more than a matriarch. She was a steward of the land and a woman of the earth, grounded-both literally and spiritually-in the soil she called home. She spent her life working alongside her husband on the family farm, tending the land with care, planting and preserving the food her family would eat, and finding peace in every row she planted. Her garden was her sanctuary, her teacher, and a living story of self-sufficiency and grace.
She was often found in the early mornings milking cows or tending her flower beds with quiet joy. Her kitchen, always warm and welcoming, was filled with the comforting sounds of KUOA's Neighborhood News and the delicious scents of meals made with love. Known far and wide for her cooking, Madge had a gift for turning simple ingredients into something unforgettable. From her kitchen window, she kept a watchful eye on the fields and the cattle-especially during calving season, when new life appeared like a promise fulfilled.
Her hands were rarely idle. When she wasn't cooking or working in the garden, she was sewing-mending clothes, stitching quilts, and piecing together tangible expressions of love that would warm generations. Each stitch was an act of care, a symbol of her deep and steady devotion.
Madge was as tough as nails-unyielding when it came to doing what needed to be done-but her toughness was always paired with tenderness. She had a generous heart and a calm, steady presence. A true caregiver, she made people feel at home-with a warm meal, a gentle touch, or simply by being there with a listening ear.
Though her formal education ended after the eighth grade at Taylor School, Madge never stopped learning. Her curiosity, determination, and love for her community led her to become a passionate historian and preservationist. She believed that stories matter-that they tether us to the people and places we come from. In 1991, she became one of eight contributing authors of The History of Adair County, a deeply treasured book that captures the spirit and memory of her beloved county in northeastern Oklahoma. She poured her heart into that project, ensuring that the names, faces, and traditions of her community would not be forgotten.
Madge's dedication to preserving heritage continued throughout her life. She was a founding member of the Watts Historical Society, a longtime member of the Goingsnake District Heritage Association, and one of the founding members of the Historical Societies of Adair County. Her work was not just about documenting the past-it was about honoring the lives within it and making sure their stories lived on.
She was a woman of humble beginnings who lived a life of deep meaning. Her strength and love were never loud, but always steady. Her wisdom came not from textbooks or degrees, but from experience, devotion, and a spirit that refused to quit.
She leaves behind not just a family who loves her dearly, but a legacy of grit, grace, and goodness. The lessons she taught-in word, in work, and in example-will echo through the lives of her children, grandchildren, and all those fortunate enough to have known her.
We give thanks for the long, beautiful life of Madge Lucille Hastings Ghormley-a life rooted in love, guided by faith, and remembered always.
"Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains."
- James 5:7
A visitation will be held at Wasson Funeral Home on Thursday, July 24, 2025, from 5 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A graveside service will be held at New Hope Cemetery in Chewey, OK, on Friday, July 25, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.