Catherine Muriel (Bales) Langewisch

Catherine Muriel Bales Langewisch, daughter of Alda Bales and Viola Manley Bales, was born on December 25, 1926, near Napton in Saline County, Missouri.  She departed this life on July 6, 2025, at Foxwood Springs Senior Living in Raymore, Missouri.  At the time of her death, she was 98 years of age.

From her birth she always went by the name Muriel (pronounced “Merle”).  Her family lived in various places in Saline County while she was growing up, finally moving to a farm east of Sweet Springs.  Muriel graduated as Valedictorian from Sweet Springs High School in 1943.  She received a teaching certificate from Central Missouri State Teachers College at Warrensburg and taught in one-room country schools in Saline County.

Muriel met Edwin Fred Langewisch at a dance at Sweet Springs and they married at the home of her parents on May 1, 1948.  They resided at the home of his mother near Sweet Springs until 1950.  They then moved to a share-cropper farm south of Wellington, Missouri.  In 1961 Ed and Muriel purchased a farm in Howard County, Missouri, five miles north of New Franklin on DD; they moved there with their five children in 1963.

Muriel and Ed were members of the New Franklin First Baptist church.  Muriel was a Sunday School teacher; Ed became a deacon.  Muriel also was a Vacation Bible School teacher for many years.  Both Muriel and Ed sang in the choir.
Muriel was a leader in the Cherry Grove 4-H Club and taught girls how to make home cooked meals.  She was also active in 4-H at the county level.

Her children and grandchildren enjoyed spending vacations on the farm to be with Grandpa and Grandma.  Muriel taught her grandchildren about gardening and sewing.  She was often chauffeured by the grandchildren on the golf cart.  Muriel believed in the value of family.  She and Ed took their children to the Langewisch, Reinwald, Manley, and Bales family reunions for many years.

They remained on the farm until March 2014; due to Ed’s declining health, they moved to an assisted living facility in Boonville.  After Ed’s death she sold her car and moved to an independent living facility in Independence.  Her son, Curtis, and daughter, Betty, helped with her care.  After Curtis died in 2021, Muriel moved to Foxwood Springs to be closer to Betty.

Muriel was preceded in death by her parents; a brother J.W. Bales; a sister, Leona Meyer; and son, Curtis Langewisch.

Muriel is survived by four children, Edwin (Deborah) Langewisch; Stewart (Carol) Langewisch; Betty (Barry) Pennington; Keith (Barbara) Langewisch; daughter-in-law Brenda Langewisch; and sister, Dolores Roberts.  She is also survived by ten grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren, and several great-great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at the First Baptist Church of New Franklin.  Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 am at the church, followed by the funeral service.  Interment will follow at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, north of New Franklin on MO 5 highway.

Memorial donations will be given to the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.

Condolences may be shared at www.marklandyager.com.

Markland-Yager Funeral Home is honored to serve the Langewisch family.

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