Martha Sue (Turpin) Thomas

Martha Sue (Turpin) Thomas passed away in Springfield, Missouri on December 28, 2024 after

a ten year battle with autoimmune liver disease. She was 75 years old. Martha was born at

home in Rocky Mount, Missouri on Dec 8, 1949 to Mary Fern Turpin (nee Archer) and George

Washington Turpin. Growing up rurally in the 1950s, she finished school in the eighth grade,

though she later earned a GED in her early twenties and attended two years of college in her

late thirties. She was an accomplished artist in the media of oils, acrylics, and pencils and

produced many beautiful works of art that she generously shared with family and friends.

Over the years, Martha enjoyed exploring many professions. She was a certified jeweler and

watchmaker, a medical administrative assistant, a phlebotomist at Boone Hospital in Columbia,

MO, the director of the Mary Weslin Home for Pregnant Unwed Mothers in Colorado Springs,

CO, and entered into retirement after owning and operating a hearing aid and optical business

in Versailles, MO for several years.

She is preceded in death by her parents, two children, Ralph Wayne Thomas and Shawn Paul

Thomas, and siblings Daniel “Skip” Turpen, Jerry Turpen, and George Turpin.

She is survived by two children Justin Ray Thomas (Dana), Springfield, MO, and Donna Lynn Thomas, Lee’s Summit, MO. Grandchildren include Emily Spriggs, Tharron “T.J.” Warford, Alissa Ringhofer, Eli Thomas, Brighton Thomas,  Lilly Schooling, and Brynley Schooling. Great grandchildren include Scarlett Klenworth, Bayler Spriggs, and Avery Spriggs. She is survived by siblings Ruby Hale, Nancy Israel, David Turpen, Gene Turpen, and James “Jay” Turpen, as well as two former spouses, Ralph Lowell Thomas and Alan Harrison, and her dear friend of 28 years, Nancy Beaudoin.

Martha was a wonderfully intelligent, witty, artistic, open-minded, and open-hearted person. She

loved to laugh and loved lavishing complements and gifts on family, friends, and strangers alike.

She enjoyed sewing and crochet in her spare time. She adored her grandchildren who were her

pride and joy. After having explored the great mysteries of life through religion and spirituality,

she eventually found great comfort in the knowledge that only love and kindness matter. She

brought so much of this into the world. She will be dearly missed.

Visitation will be Saturday, January 18, 2025 from 10:00 AM -11:00 AM at Phillips Funeral Home of Eldon, MO with a Memorial Service beginning at 11:00 AM.  Burial will follow at Union Cemetery in Rocky Mount, MO.

Arrangements are under the direction and care of Phillips Funeral Home of Eldon, MO.

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