Marilyn Joyce Thurman

Marilyn Joyce Kauk was born June 18, 1943 to Lee and Doris (Stieger) Kauk at her parents' farm home southeast of Leedey. Marilyn passed February 9, 2026, at St. Anthony's Hospital in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma after a brief illness.

She lived at Johnnysville for 12 years, starting to school at Prairie Star, a country school near their home. She walked to school every day. One day a school friend was riding a horse to school during a snowstorm and offered to let her ride it. When she started across the ditch in front of the school, she fell off head first into a snow drift and brother Jimmy had to dig her out.

In her early teens, she played drums in a small country band with her brother Jimmy. Later Jimmy, Marilyn, Sue Ommen and Lydia Wohl had a band and played around the area and also had a radio show. Later Marilyn and Jimmy played in another band out of Leedey. They had a TV show on an Elk City TV station.

She went to school at Leedey and Cordell before graduating at Calera in 1960.

Marilyn's first job was at the First National Bank of Leedey. She worked at several other banks and at Kliewer Oil Company before retiring from Kiowa County in 2013.

Marilyn and David Thurman were married at the courthouse in Arapaho on July 31, 1970. They lived in Cordell and Clinton before moving to Gotebo in 1980. Marilyn and David had two children, Kathy Lynn and Matthew Glen. David passed in 1985.

Marilyn was saved and baptized at the First Baptist Church of Calera. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Gotebo.

Marilyn taught Sunday School for several years at the First Baptist Church in Gotebo. She also served on the Gotebo City Council and was Mayor for several years. She served on the board of the Southwestern Oklahoma Development Authority at Burns Flat. She also worked on the Gotebo Get Down for many years.

Marilyn and Thirza Shields started printing The Gotebo News in September of 1990. Marilyn continued the paper until January 30, 2026.

She worked with the Senior Citizens program at Gotebo from the start, later picking up Senior Citizens Meals at Mountain View for many years.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, Lee and Doris Kauk; her husband David Thurman; her brothers, Jimmy Kauk and Larry Kauk; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Glen and Wanda Thurman and her brother-in-law, Gene Thurman.

She is survived by her children, Kathy Wedel and husband Tim, Matt Thurman; her grandchildren, Tyler Wedel and wife Samantha, Kyley Thurman, Ava Thurman and Ellie Thurman; one brother, Randy Kauk; one sister, Linda Johnson and husband Donnie; two sisters-in-laws LaVonne Kauk, Thelma Kauk; and her aunt, Bernice Carter; and many cousins, relatives, and friends.

Funeral services were held at First Baptist Church, Gotebo, Oklahoma on Friday, February 13, 2026 at 10:00 am with burial at Odessa Cemetery. Visitation will be 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, February 12, 2026, at Ray & Martha's Funeral Home, Hobart, Oklahoma

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to:

First Baptist Church, Gotebo, OK

Odessa Cemetery, Gotebo, OK

Western Plains Library System, Cordell, OK

Under the direction of Ray & Martha's Funeral Home, Hobart, OK