Sarah Elizabeth "Beth" Bonham Houlihan

Beth Houlihan, 71, of Gladstone, MO, died suddenly of a catastrophic pulmonary embolism on August 24, 2024. Beth was a force of nature, one of a kind, and will be deeply missed by all that knew her. She touched the lives of anyone she met.

She was born in St. Joseph, MO in May 1953, to Ovid and Sarah “Peggy” Bonham, the second of four children. The family moved to Liberty, MO in 1962. She graduated from Liberty High School in 1971.

Beth found the love of her life, John “Houli” Houlihan, in the fall of 1978 while playing volleyball with a group of friends. The two famously first met when they literally collided while going for the same ball, her head knocking out John’s two front teeth. As they put it, he saw stars and she was knocked for a loop. The rest is history as they married in February 1981 and had their daughter, Lauren in 1984.

Throughout her lifetime, Beth re-invented herself into many different careers and multi-tasked with numerous leadership roles. She began her career as a legal secretary/administrative assistant and later gained her accounting degree. She went on to become a Master Gardener holding Emeritus Status but then went above and beyond that level, obtaining her Horticulture Associate degree. Her knowledge of Latin was then put to good use as she could, and did, rattle off both the Latin and common name of any plant. She became very involved in the University Extension community and childrens’ gardening. Also, she started as a volunteer for the City of Gladstone for park plantings and quickly “grew” that into a paid position where she managed all of the city’s plantings. She brought beauty to each of the city’s parks and left behind the legacy of shade from the many trees she planted as well as her leadership role in the initial Gladstone on the Move citizens academy effort. Most recently she helped start the Gladstone Green Team beautification project which involves removing road-side trash. For many years she was also a substitute teacher in the classroom, taking on many long-term sub roles and connecting with many children.

One of her biggest passions in life was gardening and she ultimately built her own landscape design business. She showcased her creativity and hard work ethic through residential plans and installs with clients across the KC metro. In later years she pulled back to container gardens for a few clients who had turned into friends. One highlight in her life was when her family arranged a special 60th Birthday present for her to work on decorating a Rose Bowl Parade Float with flowers. The theme of the parade that year was Dreams Do Come True and her life-long dream did too. Of course the float she worked on won the Sweepstakes Trophy!

Her multitude of leadership positions involved organizations surrounding her daughter, including preschool clubs, PTA, and Girl Scouts. Beth was a natural born leader in everything she did and inspiration for all.

Her circle of friends was gained throughout all phases of her life and she had the amazing ability to bring joy to so many people and keep these connections lifelong. She kept in close touch with so many friends, including but not limited to her Garden Club, Margarita Monday crew, and Liberty High School Class of 1971.

Beth loved her family fiercely and they loved her. She doted on her twin grandsons born in 2018. She was the best mom and grandma in the world and will always be remembered for her famous cinnamon rolls, banana muffin making, sneaking the boys ice cream sandwiches, as well as hosting the boys at annual “Camp Houli” weeks. Upon marriage to Houli she instantly became part of the Houlihan crew. She annually attended Houlihan “sisters’ weekends” and memorable Houlihan reunions and Houli’s sisters, Cathy and Eileen, became dear friends. She had a soft spot for furry friends and treated each of her dogs as the valuable family members they were.

Beth traveled extensively throughout her lifetime with her family, enjoying trips to Europe, Ireland, England, Canada, and this summer, checked off visiting the last of each of the 50 states with an epic small ship expedition cruise in Alaska and a small plane sightseeing trip over Denali National Park.

She is preceded in death by her mother and father, Peggy and Ovid; and her brother, Clarence Bonham; and is survived by her husband John, daughter Lauren Burns (Garrett) and grandsons, Bruce and Brady; sister Ethel Brown (Phil) and nephews, Gentry and Zach; and brother Bobby Bonham as well as sister-in-law Pat Bonham and nieces Sarah Saffold (George), Rachel Minor (Jeff), and Emily Bollinger (Tom). She is also survived by many dear members of the Houlihan family and 17 great nieces and great nephews.

Beth will always be remembered for the impact she had on people and instant connections she built. For all who knew her, they will never forget her and her light. She was a strong believer in always moving forward, never back.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2024, 1-4 PM at the Gladstone Community Center.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the following charities that represented her major values and interests: Chain of Hope KC, an animal protection and adoption organization reflecting her interests in animal welfare; Planned Parenthood, reflecting her fierce interest in protecting women’s reproductive rights; Our Lady of Mercy Country Home in Liberty, Missouri remembering the excellent care that her mother Peggy received during the last part of her life and the excellent eldercare mission of that organization; and Kansas City Community Gardens reflecting her incredible love of gardening.