Aletha Churchman
June 11, 1939 ~ May 10, 2025
Aletha Churchman passed away Saturday, May 10, 2025, at the age of 85.
Aletha was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa on June 11, 1939. She graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Wichita, Kansas and attended Wichita State University. She worked as a secretary to the Chaplin at WSU and as a secretary at Goddard Schools. As a young mother, she delivered honey to grocery stores with her mother-in-law and repaired player pianos including the clown player piano at Joyland. Aletha worked at the Wichita Dairy Council and then retired after a long, successful career at Cessna Citation Marketing.
Aletha was a talented artist and musician. She had a passion for painting and enjoyed painting southwestern scenes and animals. She also created stained glass artwork and was an excellent seamstress. She played the clarinet, piano, and organ and was an organist at St. Francis of Assisi parish.
Aletha loved animals. She loved spending time with her family and friends and enjoyed traveling. She was a loving and caring daughter, mother, grandmother, and trusted friend. She was very social and loved being around people, attending family gatherings, and sharing coffee or lunch with friends.
In her later years she was stricken with Alzheimer’s and began the long, hard journey and heartbreaking goodbye. We all loved her so very much and we hurt for her and missed her even before she was gone. She was a huge part of our lives that bonded us all together and brought so much joy to us all.
A special thank you to Premier Living and Good Shepherd Hospice for their support and care.
Aletha is preceded in death by her parents, John and Florence Buckles and her granddaughter, Janelle Churchman. She is survived by her sons, Mike Churchman, of Goddard, Kansas, John Churchman of Wichita, Kansas; daughter, Sheri (Hai) Pham of Wichita, Kansas; grandchildren, Matt (Kim) Churchman, Sterling Cokeley, Thomas (Marlaena) Pham, Marissa (Andrew) Kouns, Nicholas (Shiyao) Pham, Christopher (Alyssa) Pham, Stevie Churchman; and ten great-grandchildren.
Graveside Service will be at 11:00 am, Friday, May 16, 2025, at Resurrection Cemetery, 1640 North Maize Road, Wichita, Kansas.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established with: Kansas Humane Society, 3313 North Hillside, Wichita, Kansas 67219.
Services in care of Downing & Lahey Mortuary - West Chapel.
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I worked with Lee at Cessna years ago. She was a good friend to so many. I’m sorry for your loss.
Lee was a very special person and friend to all who knew and loved her. What a sweet, smart, kind and wonderful co-worker. I was lucky to share that with her as she was lots of fun and a joy to be around. Lee will always be dear to me! Blessings and much love to her family.
Sharon Babcock
Lee was a wonderful person and neighbor. The Curchmans lived next door to us in my younger years. She was like a second mom to me. My mom and Lee would visit while us kids watched old movies. I had lost touch over the years, but had the great pleasure of bumping into her, Mike, and his daughter at Pizza Hut in Goddard, then got to see Lee 1 last time at McDonald’s with a friend of hers. We picked right back up where we left off. You were loved beyond measure, Lee!!