Dorothy Maffitt passed peacefully away at Sunrise Assisted Living Facility in Overland Park, Kansas, on August 23.  She was 98.

Dorothy Ellen Laffoon was born July 25, 1923, the only child of Simon Payton Laffoon and Eddith Mae Snapp Laffoon.  She was born on the eastern prairie of Colorado where her parents homesteaded.  When Dorothy was 13, her parents moved to a farm near Helena, Missouri, where she attended high school.  Dorothy graduated from high school at age 16, earned a Missouri 90-day teaching certificate, and began teaching in a one-room schoolhouse.  Some of her students were older than she was!  In 1944, she received a two-year teaching certificate from Northwest Missouri State Teachers College, and in 1954, Dorothy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Northwest Missouri State College in Maryville.  In 1967, she earned a Master of Science degree in Education from Central Missouri State College in Warrensburg. 

Dorothy married William J. Maffitt of Barnard, Missouri, on February 29, 1944.  They began married life in Maryville where Dorothy continued teaching until their son, Bob, was born.  The family moved to Richmond in 1953, where Dorothy taught 4th grade and where their daughter, Joyce, was born.  Education was her passion, and over the years Dorothy taught a variety of age levels in the Richmond R-XVI School District before focusing on Remedial Reading.  When Dorothy retired, she was very proud of touching so many young lives through the years. 

Following her retirement, and continuing after Bill’s death, Dorothy was an active volunteer in the Richmond community.  She was a representative in the Silver Haired Legislature for several terms.  Dorothy was a long-time member of the Richmond United Methodist Church, the American Legion Auxiliary, Family and Community Education (FCE), the Hospital Auxiliary, and the Ray County Museum.  Dorothy joined the Allen-Morton-Watkins Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapter in 1994; she served as regent from 1998 to 2004 and vice regent from 2004 to 2010.  She was also a member of DAR Colonial Dames.  Her involvement with DAR inspired a great interest in genealogy, and Dorothy spent many hours researching the family history of herself and of others. 

Dorothy moved to John Knox Village in Higginsville in 2007 and attended the Corder United Methodist Church but continued her involvement in the Richmond community.  In 2018 she moved to Overland Park to be closer to her family.  She was a determined woman who always expressed her love of her family and those around her, and always tried to see the fun side of life.  Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Bill, in 1993, and her son-in-law, Victor Turnage, in March of this year.  She is survived by her son, Rev. Bob Maffitt (Meg) of Overland Park, Kansas, daughter Joyce Turnage of Centerton, Arkansas, grandchildren Jeff Maffitt (Katie) of Broomfield, Colorado, Justin Turnage, Centerton, Arkansas, Jessica Maffitt (Kevin Slater), Des Moines, Iowa, Rebekah Weiler, Spring Hill, Kansas, Trent Turnage (Cristi), Bella Vista, Arkansas, and twelve great-grandchildren:  Jeremy, Jesse, Emma, and Elli Turnage, Jayden, Autumn, Zain, and Amelia Weiler, Charlie and Harrison Maffitt, and James and Ella Grant.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to either the Richmond United Methodist Church or the American Cancer Society.  They can be left at or mailed to Thurman Funeral Home, 507 East Main Street-P.O. Box 190, Richmond, MO 64085.

Visitation with funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 28th, 2021 at Thurman Funeral Home in Richmond with visitation beginning at 1:00 p.m. with services to follow at 2:00 p.m.  Burial will be in Richmond Memory Gardens.  Please remember to share your memories of Dorothy with the family by visiting www.thurmanfuneralhome.com