John McEniry

John McEniry passed away at age 69, surrounded by his family at Overland Park Regional Medical Center on January 17th, 2019. He was preceded by his parents, Lydia Ann and Charles Burns McEniry, his brother Danny "Dude" McEniry, and his first wife and mother of his children, Cheryl "Cheri" McEniry. He is survived by his wife, Karen; children, Sean (Layla McEniry), Kelly (Holly Bright), Ashley (Tom O'Neill), Barnett, and Vanessa; grandchildren, Sadie and Bradley; brother, Charles M., nephews, Charles W., Michael, Joseph, Christopher, and niece, McKenna, and an abundance of friends and family.

He was born in Sedalia, Missouri, and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. He met his first wife, Cheri, here and raised three children while teaching at Oak Park High School and later at Rockhurst High School. After Cheri's passing, he met and married Karen Thompson and happily welcomed her and her children into the family.

Many will remember him by his lifelong passions for music, education, family and faith.

John lived under the Jesuit influence and embodied humility and compassion. He had the honor of being a Eucharistic minister at both Saint Peter's Parish and Holy Spirit Catholic Parish. His deep faith and love of his family extended to caregiving those nearing the end of their life, which led him to volunteer with Catholic Community Hospice in his retirement.

In 1964 he saw James Brown at Municipal Auditorium, in 1967 The Who at Shawnee Mission South High School, and in 1968 Jimi Hendrix at Municipal Auditorium. These would be pivotal moments in his love of both listening to and performing music. Starting in his adolescent years and onward, he drummed in The Factory, a band comprised of his schoolmates. Their last performance was a reunion show in 2012 at Loretto High School's 200th anniversary. He also played music in Johnny Mac and the Acid Flashbacks with his friends and family. They performed at Rockhurst High School events for many years.

Heritage and genealogy were of great interest to John and he made a marked effort to preserve and discover the details of his family's history. He was proud of his Midwestern roots and Irish lineage. John was always eager to share his discoveries with the rest of the family. He was beloved for his storytelling and dry sense of humor. John could connect with people from all walks of life. He touched many lives in his 37 years at Rockhurst High School, which he sincerely referred to as his "first, best destiny." John played a vital role in organizing his 50th class reunion at Rockhurst High School and subsequently raising a significant amount for a scholarship fund. John's dedication to his students, friends, and family remains inspiring to all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be given to Catholic Community Hospice via check at 9720 West 87th Street, Overland Park, KS 66212, or the following link.

https://catholiccharitiesks.org/donate/