Marilyn Langguth, 80, of Warrensburg, Missouri, passed away at home on Saturday, September 5, 2026.

Born December 13, 1945, in Spalding, Nebraska, to Murt and Eileen Gillroy, Marilyn grew up in rural Nebraska. She attended classes at Cedar Valley School, a one-room schoolhouse, and later graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Greeley, Nebraska. In 1966 her family moved to the Warrensburg area and settled on a farm south of town. There she met Jim Langguth, who was serving with the Air Force at Whiteman Air Force Base. They were married in December 1968 at Sacred Heart Church in Warrensburg. Together they raised two children and built a life surrounded by brothers and sisters, friends, flowers and plants, and a multitude of creatures great and small that all called the place home.

Marilyn studied art at Central Missouri State University and worked throughout her life in the garment industry-mending, altering, tailoring, and designing clothing. She was also a Mary Kay beauty consultant, attending conferences and treasuring the friendships she made along the way. She was an accomplished teacher of youth, especially those in 4-H. Many of her students' sewing projects went on to the Missouri State Fair, earning awards and leaving a lifetime of memories. In 2022 she was inducted into the Missouri 4-H Hall of Fame for decades of service and excellence in her craft.

She was known for her compassion and patience, and for keeping her home and her connections-with childhood friends, new acquaintances, customers, and their families. She lived with curiosity, traveling extensively, visiting family and friends and always finding wonder in a place, no matter how small or remote. She practiced her faith quietly, knowing her heavenly father was guiding her through life's ups and downs. 

Marilyn is survived by her children, Kenneth and Cynthia; her grandson, Gabriel; her sisters, Margaret and Joan; and her brothers, Jerome and Dennis. She was preceded in death by her husband, James; her parents, Murt and Eileen; her brother Anthony; and her sister Carol.

A visitation will be held from 10 to 11 AM, Saturday the 26th of September, at Sweeney Phillips and Holdren Funeral Home in Warrensburg, MO with a celebration of life afterwards at her home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Missouri 4H Foundation or The Old Drum Animal Shelter. Donations can be left in care of Sweeney Phillips and Holdren Funeral Home or at the links below.

Old Drum Animal Shelter - https://www.odasjoco.org/

Missouri 4-H Foundation - Donation · University of Missouri-Columbia · GiveCampus