Catherine Medley

Catherine Medley, 73, of Ash Grove passed away on Nov. 30, 2025. She was born on July 28, 1952, in Reynolds County, to James Farmer, Jr. and Thelma (Allen)Farmer.
She graduated from Ellington High School in 1970. She began her nursing career in Poplar Bluff, eventually moving to Republic, where she served as a registered nurse at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners.
In 2000, she moved to Fairbanks, Alaska. During her years there, she worked for Alaska Airlines and traveled extensively throughout the state. She also developed a love for the Alaskan outdoors, gardening and caring for her animals, including her reindeer.
In 2010, she returned to Missouri and made her home in Ash Grove. She reentered the nursing profession with Citizens’ Memorial Hospital (CMH) in hospice care, where she was admired for her expertise and dedication. During her years at CMH, she received multiple Employee of the Month awards and was honored as CMH Nurse of the Year in 2018. She retired in 2020, bringing to a close nearly 50 years of faithful service in nursing.
Following her retirement, she continued to enrich the Ash Grove community. A passionate gardener, she shared her love of nature by helping to plant butterfly gardens at the Ash Grove Sunshine Center and Ash Grove Community Garden and establishing an official Monarch Waystation in the Memorial Garden at Ash Grove City Park. She spent many hours tending the garden, inspiring her community to appreciate the beauty and importance of the natural world.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Clayton “Butch” Farmer.
She is survived by her husband, Sam Medley; her daughter, Jennifer Wilkinson and her husband, Todd Wilkinson; her son, Michael Voyles and his wife, Julie Voyles; and her six granddaughters. She is also survived by her brothers James Farmer (Brinda), Tommy Farmer, and Donald Farmer (Kim), along with her sister-in-law Beverly Farmer of Farmington, and a large circle of extended family and friends.
A memorial service is planned for a later date with burial at Polk Memorial Cemetery in Ellington.