Reverend Paul Wesley McNall

March 29, 1928 — May 14, 2026

Sharon Springs

Paul Wesley McNall. Photo courtesy of Koons-Russell Funeral Home

Paul Wesley McNall, age 98, passed away on May 14, 2026, at Hope Springs Nursing Home in Sharon Springs, Kansas.

Paul was born on March 29, 1928, to Charles Clyde (“CC”) and Winifred McNall. Paul’s family consisted of his dear sisters Marie and Ruth, and brothers L.D., and John. As a boy, Paul grew up living in several states, including Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Nebraska, and Colorado, as his father was a pastor and traveling evangelist. Paul attended nine different schools in his first twelve years of school.

As a boy, Paul’s favorite place to go was to his Grandpa Taylor’s farm near Goodland. His love for fishing and hunting began there, as his grandpa let him hunt rabbits with his two greyhounds. He would skin the rabbits and His Grandma Taylor would cook them up and serve them for breakfast with biscuits and gravy.

When Paul was a teenager, his family moved north of Wheeler, Kansas, living in a house owned by John Magley. Paul worked on the Magley farm and fell in love with his boss’ daughter, the beautiful brown-eyed

Cora Lea Magley. Paul tried different ways to impress her, like trying to walk across a pond on stilts, displaying his horse-riding skills, and even carving her name in his belt. He went off to high school at the Colorado Springs Bible Training School and Cora Lea followed a couple years later. Dating was not allowed at the school, but Paul’s love for her continued. He even climbed the Kissing Camels at Garden of the Gods to carve their initials.

After graduating high school, Paul attended college in Michigan. He then rode his Army Surplus Harley to Pasadena, California to attend the Pasadena Nazarene College. While studying there, he was part of the debate team, competing against University of California, UCLA, and USC. At one of the debate tournaments, Paul even got to see Albert Einstein.

Returning from California, he married the love of his life, his beautiful Cora Lea Magley on June 17, 1949, in Goodland Kansas.

They began their marriage by driving back to Pasadena in his 1936 Ford convertible, loading all their belongings in the rumble seat. Traveling through the desert in extreme heat, Paul tells the story of Cora Lea being so hot she thought she was going to die! He stopped the car, asked her to get out, and then poured water from the old canvas water bottle over her head and clothes. They repeated this “life-saving measure” several times and survived the drive through the desert to California.

While living in Pasadena, Paul studied and worked hard. He received his B. A. degree and completed two years of graduate work in religion. God provided a job for him as a machinist at a company that made parts for military planes during the Korean War. He always marveled at God’s provision as he became the graveyard shift foreman and could work on his college studies during breaks. God also provided a beautiful home for them to purchase, full of furniture, at an amazing price. While in California, they welcomed their first two children: Cora Sue and Charles Clyde.

Since Paul had moved around so much as a child, he wanted his children to grow up in one community. So, in the fall of 1954, they packed up their little family and moved to Sharon Springs, Kansas to pastor the Pilgrim Holiness Church for six years. Two more children were born while pastoring there: Gregory Paul and Karen Louise. In 1955, he also began his teaching career at a one room school called Gill School. Paul had many fond memories and fun times with his first students at Gill.

The family then moved to Wallace, Kansas. While in Wallace, their fifth child was born: Cynthia Ruth. Paul began preaching at Dinas Community Church in 1960, a ministry that would last approximately 66 years, until the ripe old age of 96!

While in Wallace, Paul was continuing his education at Fort Hays State, earning his M. S. Degree in School Administration. He taught school and was Principal for four years at the Wallace School. Cora Lea somehow managed taking care of five small children with him gone periodically for classes at Hays.

The family moved back to Sharon Springs where for four years he was Principal and teacher at Sharon Springs Grade School. While Principal, they moved to the country to simultaneously pastor the West Bethany Free Methodist Church for three years.

In 1966, Paul accepted the position of Superintendent of School District 241 in Wallace County. During those years, they finished raising their children, continued pastoring Dinas Church, and served on numerous boards and organizations, including the Kansas State Board of Education. Paul was School Superintendent for 26 years, retiring in 1992. Paul would always tell people that this community had the best people in the world.

After retiring as Superintendent, Paul and Cora Lea moved to nearby Wichita county to pastor Parks Presbyterian for 19 years. He could preach each Sunday at both Parks Church and Dinas Church since one was on Central Time, and one was on Mountain time.

In 2011, they moved to Sharon Springs again, where they continued to pastor Dinas Church and minister to the community. Pastor Paul dedicated countless babies, baptized many, and officiated hundreds of weddings and funerals (up to five generations in some families).

Paul retired from the pastorate of Dinas Community Church in 2024 when he was 96. He had pastored there for 64 years. Paul and Cora Lea moved to Hope Springs nursing home in April of 2024, and he continued officiating some funerals and weddings and preaching occasionally at the nursing home. He preached his final sermon in March on his 98th birthday. Through over 70 years of ministry, Cora Lea was always by his side, playing her accordion, and supporting him in countless ways.

In 2025, they celebrated their 76th wedding anniversary, just one month short of 77 years when he passed.

Paul’s favorite things were ministering to people, hunting, fishing, watching sports, and camping with family and friends. He was a loving husband and father, a loud, boisterous, and fun Grandpa and Great Grandpa. We will miss his wisdom, his support, his stories, his silly songs, and his encouragement. He was a pillar on the Plains, and a faithful servant of God!

Paul was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Marie Kennedy and brother, L. D. McNall. He is survived by his sister, Ruth Coleman, his brother, John McNall, his loving wife, Cora Lea McNall, and his five children: Sue Berger (Larry), Chuck McNall (Mitzi), Greg McNall (Bonita), Karen Daise (Dennis), and Cindy McNall, as well as twelve grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. He will be greatly missed.

Memorial contributions may be made to Dinas Community Church or to the Wallace County Ministerial Alliance and can be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home: 211 N Main Ave, Goodland, KS 67735.