Marjorie Jane Sheets

Marjorie Jane Sheets, 97, passed away peacefully on May 4, 2026. Born at home on November 13, 1928, in Manchester, Kansas, Marjorie was a proud descendant of some of the earliest settlers of Dickinson County, Kansas.

She was the middle child of Gail Leroy Long and Minnie Elizabeth Graves. Marjorie grew up on family farms near Detroit and Navarre, Kansas before moving with her family to Abilene in the 1940s. She attended Centerdale Rural School and graduated from Chapman High School in 1946.
After graduation, Marjorie left her rural childhood home for city life in Topeka, Kansas, where she worked as a clerk-typist for the State Corporation Commission and later for the Kansas State University Extension Service. While living in Topeka, she also graduated from cosmetology school. In November 1948, she married Don Roger Sheets. Together they built a life rooted in love and resilience as Don’s teaching and business career led them throughout the Midwest. During the mid-1950s, they also lived in the Denver area while Don managed the 12-state Rocky Mountain region for General Motors.

Marjorie and Don experienced both deep joy and profound loss during their years together. They were preceded in death by their infant daughter, Susan Gail Sheets, and later their son, Ray Kevin Sheets, who passed away from leukemia at the age of 10 in 1962. In the years that followed, their family grew through adoption with the arrival of their beloved children, Chris Roger Sheets of Belton, Missouri, and Lori Ann Smith of Blue Springs, Missouri.

In the 1970s, Marjorie leaned into her skills as a talented cosmetologist and operated beauty salons from the basements of her homes in Kansas City, Kansas and later Raytown, Missouri. She had a gift not only for helping people look their best, but also for making them feel welcome and cared for. During these years, she and Don also became motorcycle enthusiasts, and she happily welcomed her young nieces and nephews as backseat riders, earning her the title of “the cool aunt.”

Through every move and every season of life, Marjorie remained a steadfast partner to Don and a constant source of warmth for her family and friends.

The couple made their home in Raytown, Missouri from 1973 until Don’s passing in September 1992. Marjorie continued living there until moving to Foxwood Springs Retirement Community in 2004, where she quickly became an active and cherished member of the community. She volunteered at the Foxwood Springs thrift shop, enjoyed card games with newfound friends, and embraced life with energy, humor, and independence.

Following Don’s death, Marjorie carved out a vibrant chapter of her own life. She enjoyed traveling with her sister, Laura Joan Timm, participating in square dancing with the Single Promenaders, and spending treasured time with her family. She was a devoted and loving grandmother to Joshua David Smith and Rhiannon Elizabeth Smith of Blue Springs, Missouri, and Christopher Don Sheets of Raymore, Missouri. In recent months, one of her greatest joys was spending time with her great-grandson, Theodore Don Sheets.

Marjorie was also a lifelong sports enthusiast and proud fan of Kansas City teams. She especially loved cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals and was a dedicated Chiefs season ticket holder for more than 25 years.

Above all, Marjorie will be remembered for her strength, kindness, resilience, and unwavering love for family. She leaves behind generations of loved ones who will carry her memory forward with gratitude and affection.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, May 12, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Heartland Cremation & Burial Society, 6113 Blue Ridge Blvd., Raytown, Missouri 64133.

A Graveside Service will be held Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Navarre Cemetery, 1522 Strole Road, Hope, Kansas 67451.

The family is eternally grateful to Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care for the compassionate care and kindness shown to Marjorie in her final days. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Kansas City Hospice.