Teresa Louise Dunleavy

Teresa was born on January 9, 1954, in Ainsworth, Nebraska to Jesse and Jeannette Marshall. After her family relocated to Savannah, Missouri, Teresa graduated from Savannah High School in 1972. Teresa attended Missouri Western University from 1973 to 1974 where she met her future husband, John. Teresa and John were married at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri on May 29, 1976. Together they raised three children; Jamie Maureen, John Matthew and Patrick Michael.

Having an early compassion for helping people, Teresa volunteered as a Nurse's Aide at the St. Francis Retirement Home in Savannah while in high school. This experience set her on the path of becoming a nurse. True to the nursing spirit, she always put others and their needs before herself. After marriage Teresa worked as a Medical Assistant for a private practice in Kansas City. In May of 1990 she graduated from Maryville University in St. Louis, with a bachelor's degree in nursing, after earning her nursing degree she worked at St. Louis University Hospital as an Oncology nurse for the next 28 years before retiring in 2019 and moving to Olathe, Kansas to be closer to family.

The most important focus and joy of Teresa’s life was her family. She adored her grandsons, Jake and Luke and absolutely loved being their “Mimi”. Teresa was incredibly compassionate and creative. She was thoughtful of others and always had many projects she was working on beautiful, personal gifts for her friends and family. She loved growing and nurturing flowers, antiquing, sitting on the porch and enjoying the company of those with her. She loved to travel and was always up for new adventures. Her sweet dog, Margo, was also her “baby” and companion. Never to mince words and tell it straight, as her famous motto was, "there you are, and there you have it" as she snapped her fingers and nodded her head.

Surviving family members include her best friend and loving husband John, children Jamie & Matt Walters, Matt Dunleavy and Patrick Dunleavy and grandsons Jake and Luke Walters. Father Jesse Marshall, Jr. (Kersey, CO), sister and brother-in-law, Audrey and Todd Schroeder (Stewartsville, MO), and brother and sister-in-law JG and Paulette Marshall, (Wilson, OK), mother-in-law Rosemary Dunleavy, brothers and sisters-in-law, Tom Dunleavy, Jim (Connie) Dunleavy, Steve (Lisa) Dunleavy, Dixie (Doug) Coleman and Rose (Clayton) Allen, and many nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and nephews.

We would like to thank all of our family members and friends for their support and prayers during this difficult time. Special thanks to niece Morgin Dunleavy and niece and goddaughter Katelyn Winkler for their guidance and loving support. Appreciation also to the wonderful and caring staff at Olathe Hospice House.

Visitation will be held from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM, Saturday, July 15, 2023, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 11822 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri with the Mass of Christian Burial immediately following at 11:00 AM. Interment will be held at Mount Moriah Cemetery South, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Olathe Hospice House in Olathe, Kansas in Teresa's name.

Prayer of St. Frances De Sales:

Be at peace. Do not look forward in fear to the changes of life; rather look to them with full hope as they arise. God, whose very own you are, will deliver you from out of them. He has kept you hitherto, and He will lead you safely through all things; and when you cannot stand it, God will bury you in his arms. Do not fear what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you then and every day. He will either shield you from suffering or give you unfailing strength to bear it.