Relia E. Layland

Relia E. Layland, age 97, of Paola, went home to be with her Lord on December 18, 2016, at Vintage Park. She was born on September 5, 1919 in Fayette, Illinois to Lee Roy and Cecil Maude McMullen. Their family moved to Independence, Missouri when she was very young. She came from a large family of 1 sister and 9 brothers. She met and married Max Layland in Independence on November 18, 1939. After Max returned from the Navy in World War II, they joined his brother Ernest Coddington in the grocery business on the south side of Paola"s park square. They later bought his brother out. Max and Relia joined Harold and Irene Bowman in building Buy Rite Super Market on Silver Street in Paola. The partners would remain together for 15 years until selling to Price Chopper. Relia attended the First Baptist Church in Paola. She was one of the oldest living members of the church. She was a long time member of Plum Creek EHU, VFW and a 50+ year member of the American Legion Auxiliary. When her girls were young, she was an officer in PTA, Girl Scouts and a 4H leader. Preceding her in death were her husband Max of 37 years, one sister Nola, seven brothers, Roy, Harold, Leon, Glenn, Clifton, Delbert and Fred McMullen. Surviving is one brother Merrill McMullen of Tucson, AZ. She leaves two daughters, Karen of Chicago, IL and Mary Kay Sillyman (Tom) of Louisburg; two granddaughters, Melissa Hanrahan (Galen) of St. Charles, MO and Megan Thornton (Shawn) of LaCygne, KS and two great grandchildren, Sydney and Scott Thornton. She will also be missed by many nieces, nephews and friends. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the First Baptist Church of Paola or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Mid America Kansas City Chapter, 6811 Shawnee Mission Pkwy, Suite 202, Cloverleaf Bldg. 1, Shawnee Mission, KS 66202. To share a memory of Relia or leave a special condolence message for her family, please click the Share Memories tab. First Baptist Church Service: Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at 11:00am Visitation: Wednesday, December 21, 2016 from 10:00am to 11:00am