Precious Australia Malone Webb, 94, departed this life and was called home on Monday, September 26, 2022, at her home in Atchison, KS, surrounded by her loving family.

Homegoing service will be on Saturday, October 1, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at First Christian Church, 301 N. 7th Street, Atchison, KS 66002. She will be laid to rest on Monday, October 3rd at 9:00 a.m. at Leavenworth National Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Friday, September 30th from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home. The family requests memorial donations be left to the Second Baptist Church, 308 S 9th Street, Hiawatha, KS 66434. 

Australia was born July 19, 1928, in Byhalia, Mississippi. She was the first baby girl born to a family of 13 boys and girls to the late Mr. Levert Malone and Trula Ann (Newberry) Malone and was rightfully named Precious. She started her Christian journey at an early age at Robert’s Chapel CME Church in Byhalia. She attended Hamilton High School in Memphis, TN. She married the love of her life, Claude Lee Webb on September 15th, 1946. They shared a life of love, service and parenting until he departed this earth on January 8, 2020.

Australia leaves their children to cherish her memory -Christine McClough, Kansas City, KS, Dorothy Tidwell, Atchison, KS Alton Webb (Andrea) , Kansas City, MO, Albert Webb, Atchison, KS, Claude L. Webb, Jr. (Jane), Kansas City, MO, Joan Webb McAfee, Leawood, KS, Nelson Webb (Mary), Kansas City, KS, Truly A. Webb, Atchison, KS, Sabrina M. Dudley, Atchison, KS, and India N. Boulton, Leawood, KS; her two sisters-Charity Street, Memphis, TN, and Artentry Futrell, St. Lous, MO; two sisters-in-law-Wilma Malone and Dorothy Malone, both of Memphis, TN. She also leaves 21 Grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren. She has a host of nieces, nephews and cousins that dearly loved her. She was preceded in death by one sister-Grace Matthews; nine brothers-Lee, Charles, Willie Tolbert, Walter “Dub”, Morris, McQurin “Mack”, Burnell Malone and also Grady and James who died in childhood, one granddaughter-Precious Wilson; two sons-in-law-Frank McClough, Willie G. McAfee ; three brothers-in-law-Carrol Matthews, Otis Street and Willie Futrell, Sr. as well as a host of sisters-in-law.

Australia lived, mothered, nursed and fed the surrounding community for over 60 years.  She served alongside her husband as the First Lady of the Second Baptist Church, Hiawatha, KS from 1983 to 2006 where she maintained her membership and labor of faith until she gained her wings. From 1957 to 1983 she was the First Lady of the Mt. Olive Baptist Church (later merged to form Shiloh) in Atchison. She was a founding member of the Minister’s Wives Committee for the Northeastern District Association, originally serving as Chaplain and later as President for many years. She also spent many years as a homemaker taking care of her children and the children of others followed by jobs at Medical Lodge of Atchison as the lead dietitian, Atchison Home Health Care & Independent Living.  She is most famously known after her “retirement” as she continued her own home health care business, caring for many within the community, often who she exceeded her in age. She didn’t really retire until the age of 82 when she began providing full-time care for her husband. If you missed out on her fried chicken, smoked brisket/wings, scalloped potatoes or chocolate cakes, you certainly missed a treat. She was often summoned to cater parties because of her love for cooking and entertaining. Her home was always an open door, and no visitor was ever considered a stranger. She had a heart that always was available for those in need. She saved most of her most treasured time with her grandchildren who she adored. When anyone in the family would tell her “I love you,” her endearing response would nearly always be “I love you more.”