Marcia Golden

Marcia Laing Golden, 80, of Goodland, KS died Sunday, January 29, 2023 at Goodland Regional Medical Center.

Marcia was born September 11, 1942 in Topeka, KS and was the daughter of Herbert Farnsworth and Augusta Marshall Laing.   Marcia graduated from St. Mary’s College Preparatory School in Fairbault, MN in 1959.  She continued her education at Mills College in Oakland, CA.

In 1963, Marcia met Kansas State Representative John Golden and they were married on June 1, 1963, in Topeka and made their home in Sherman County where they raised three children.  They were married 57 years.  With her husband, Marcia owned and operated Golden Wheat Ranch, Golden Farms, and Ad Astra Per Aspera, LLC.

In the 1970s, Marcia owned La Boutique clothing store in Goodland, KS.  In the 1980s, she worked to enhance cultural arts in Northwest Kansas: first by working with the Unified School District #352 on the development of their foreign language program and arts education task force, then she worked with the Goodland Arts Council to spearhead the founding and development of the Goodland Carnegie Arts Center, which included the renovation of the Carnegie Library into the Goodland Arts Center.  Her work included a major fundraising and membership campaign to raise money to renovate the National Register of Historic Places Library Building where she led the design and construction committee.  Marcia served as past President and interim Executive Director.

Marcia was on the Board and Past President of the Association of Community Arts Agencies in Kansas. (ACAAK), a not-for-profit organization fostering excellence in the arts for the benefit of the people of Kansas. Governor John Carlin appointed Marcia to the Kansas Arts Commission Board of Advisors working to provide grants to communities, artists, non-profit organizations, and government agencies supporting the arts in Kansas.   Governor Mike Hayden appointed Marcia to the Governor’s Kansas State Council on the Arts and Marcia served on the University of Kansas, School of Fine Arts Board of Advisors.

In 1990, Marcia was appointed by President Bush to the National Endowment of the Arts where she served on an independent commission to review and develop the procedures and standards for publicly funded art.  She also served on the Board of Directors for the National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies providing policy, technical assistance, representation, and advocacy.

Marcia worked with area farmers, ranchers, and businessmen to form the non-profit group, Sunflowers USA, to produce Project Van Gogh, which was a large-scale easel featuring the Van Gogh Sunflower replica by Canadian artist Cameron Cross, now a major tourist attraction in Northwest Kansas.

Marcia participated in Leadership Kansas, the Goodland Chamber of Commerce, the Sherman County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Sherman County Economic Committee, received the Goodland Community Service award and the Goodland Ambassador’s Outstanding Achievement Award.

Marcia’s passions were cultural arts, cooking, and entertaining.  She would regularly host political and philanthropic events.  She spent many years serving as a softball coach and was involved in the Sherman County Recreation Commission.  Marcia was a member of PEO Chapter Z and a founding member of Chapter ID.  Marcia was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Marcia’s surviving family includes daughter Margaret Golden Bowker (Jeff), Lake Quivira, KS; daughter Gennifer Golden House, Goodland, KS; and son Richard Reed Golden (Kara), Lenexa, KS. Grandchildren include Reed Addison Bowker, Claire Golden Bowker, Elizabeth Laing House, Andrew Atchley House, Taylor Marie Golden and Lauryn Reed Golden.  She is also survived by one sister, Kansas State Senator Alicia Laing Salisbury of Topeka, KS.  Marcia was preceded in death by her husband John Hollister Golden, father Herbert Farnsworth Laing, mother Augusta Marshall Laing, and son-in-law Andrew Bret House.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages contributions to the Goodland Carnegie Arts Center; the Goodland Regional Medical Foundation; or St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and may be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735.