Norma Aleene (Paxson) (Batson) Marsh passed away on Monday,  September 6, 2021 at her home in Albany, Mo., Gentry County. During her final days she was able to be at home with her family and her care taker Samantha Greenwell.

Aleene was born March 13, 1928 and raised in the Albany area by her adoptive parents Fred and Maude (Cheatham) Paxson. Her biological mother was Maude's sister Emogene, also of Albany. Fred Paxson's family was from the Allendale area so Aleene had many contacts in Worth County also where she spent a few of her early years.

Before she started school the family moved to Albany.  Aleene loved school and made many life-long friends with both students and teachers. Her constant companion was her cousin Louise Barnes Ballard who many people believed to be her sister.

Aleene was proud to have grown up in the west area of Albany known as Drakesville.  Many of her close relatives lived in this area also along with several close friends.  It was indeed an an extended family with Maude and Fred helping to feed and raise many cousins and neighborhood children. To this day many Albany citizens still called her by her family nickname "Babe" and her parents "Aunt Maude" and "Uncle Fred".

It was at this time that Aleene met her best friend and husband "to be" Billy Batson. Aleene and Bill were married at the Assembly of God Church in Albany in 1948. They were inseparable until Bill joined the Army also in 1948.  Aleene stayed home working part-time jobs and helping out her parents.  Both Aleene and Bill learned at an early age to be hard workers.

Their family began to grow soon after and Aleene became a full-time mother and housewife.  She also did child care for many of her friends and neighbors and luckily discovered her first love--children.  From that time on their house was filled with children of all ages, from newborn to high school.

Bill's pre-mature death in 1968 changed Aleene's plans.  She still didn't give up child-care, but it was necessary to find a second career. She went to work as a Care-giver at  the Gentry County Memorial Hospital. There she was a nursing assistant for over 20 years. Still she loved the newborns and children the most and spent most of her time around the nursery.

Ironically, Aleene met her second husband, J.D. Marsh while he was a patient at the hospital after a fall from a horse.  They became fast friends and were married shortly afterward at the Baptist Church of which they became members. Aleene continued working at the hospital while her children were in school.  J.D.'s kids were about the same age so the two families fit well.

Aleene persuaded J.D. to leave the insurance sales business so he could be around more.  They both worked at the hospital until their retirement as nursing assistants, therapy aides and ambulance crew members.

Aleene and J.D. planned to retire and do some traveling but spent most of their time with their own children and grandchildren.  They did travel often to Arizona to visit relatives but also attended many high school and junior high sports events all over north Missouri.  Aleene came to enjoy her grandchildren's games much more than her own children's games.

J.D. died of a heart attack in 2000, and Aleene spent the next several years in Albany with her children and grandchildren spread around north Missouri.  She really enjoyed their visits and when the great-grandchildren began to arrive it was even more fun.

Aleene was preceded in death by her parents Maude and Fred Paxson, both husbands Bill Batson and J.D. Marsh, infant son Donnie in 1951 and a son Bud Batson in 2017.  Also preceding Aleene in death were her sisters Shirley (and husband Jim) Spiegel of Arizona, Mae (and husband Glen) Killingsworth of Arizona and JoAnn Tulley of Nebraska. Brothers Billy Paul Barnes (and wife Alna) of Minnesota and John Sexton of Washington.

Survivors include children Jerry (Wanda) Batson of Gallatin, Mo., Linda Whitaker, Bobby (Cindy) Batson and daughter in-law Linda Batson all of Albany. Many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Other survivors include J.D.'s children Cathy (George) Asbury of Boonville, Mo., Debbie (Bob) Sanger of St. Joseph, Mo., Terry (Rachel) Marsh of Savannah, Mo., and several step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren. Aleene is also survived by several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral Service:  1:00 PM Friday, September 10 at the First Baptist Church in Albany.  Burial will be in the Grandview Cemetery, Albany.  The family will receive friends 6:00 – 8:00 PM Thursday evening at the Roberson-Polley Chapel, Albany, where friends may call anytime after 2:00 PM on Thursday.

Family suggests social distancing and/or wearing of masks.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to be made to the

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Because of Aleene's love of children) in care of the Roberson-Polley Chapel, 403 N. Hundley, Albany, MO 64402.

Online Condolences:  www.robersonpolleychapel.com