Shirley Lea Roberts

Memorial Services will be on March 26 at 2pm at Christ Church Anglican, 5500 West 91st Street, Overland Park, Kansas 66207

Shirley was born on February 8th,1937 in Kansas City Missouri. Her parents were Aubrey and Edna Burnham. She shared her childhood with her younger brother Richard (Dick). She attended Southwest High School and then went on to attend the University of Kansas, where she was a member of Tri Delt sorority and graduated with a degree in Occupational Therapy. Shirley met Fred Roberts in Denver, Colorado, during a clinical rotation for her occupational therapy degree, and they married just 6 months later in Oct of 1959. They had shared 66 years of marriage at the time of her passing.

Fred’s military medical career took them from Denver to Bad Canstatt, Germany during their first years of marriage. They then spent a brief time in Galveston, Texas and Wichita before returning to Shirley’s hometown, Kansas City. They had four children in four different cities but settled to raise them in Kansas City. They also shared their home with numerous beloved dogs and cats…& the birds Shirley attracted with all her birdfeeders!

Shirley loved her family and friends and valued time spent with them above all else. She spent countless hours cheering on her children from the sidelines and enjoyed taking them on trips. She loved spending time with friends over cups of coffee, long lunches and playing bridge. She belonged to numerous card groups, book clubs, neighborhood groups, PEO, and the lifelong Wednesday morning group. She lived out her deep faith in everyday life as well as by serving her church on vestry and altar guild.

So many good memories were made with the kids and grandkids at the Lake of the Ozarks…endless hours swimming, tubing, talking, playing games and regularly partaking in chips and salsa and a margarita or two. She was an avid KU basketball fan and enjoyed cheering on the Jayhawks with her family of fans. She was always ready to laugh or tell a story and was happiest when the whole family was together. She was the driving force in creating a family that still loves to laugh and spend time together and she joyfully worked to create a bond between four generations.

Shirley loved to travel and experienced the world with family and friends. In recent years, she and Fred shared hiking adventures at many national parks with their grown kids and their spouses.

Over the years, Shirley volunteered with a variety of organizations. Children’s Therapeutic Learning Center (TLC) and Children’s Mercy Hospital benefitted from many years of her service.

She was a joyful force over her 89 years. She created welcoming spaces for family and friends with her loving spirit. Her children feel so grateful and fortunate to have had her as Mom. She gave them love, support, laughter and confidence.

Shirley lived life to the fullest. Her vivacious energy and contagious laugh will be missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by her brother, Richard Burnham, her husband Fred, her four children Susan Stuever (Kevin), Sheryl Parker (Todd) Steve Roberts (Mable) and Diane Roberts (Heidi McClain) and 7 grandchildren, Stefanie (John) Carr, Sarah (Jack) Lindley, CJ (Zaara) Stuever , Nolan (Fran) Parker ,Tessa Parker, Ben Roberts and Nate Roberts as well as 7 great-grandchildren and 5 nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City: https://give.childrensmercykids.org

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