Joan Lillis Boushka

Joan Lillis Boushka passed away peacefully on Monday, August 25, 2020 surrounded by her loving family. Joan was born in Kansas City, Missouri on November 5, 1935 to James and Katherine Lillis, she was one of six children.

She attended St. Theresa High School in Kansas City and graduated from college at Maryville University in St. Louis. She married Richard Boushka in 1955 and moved to Wichita, Kansas where they raised their 5 sons. She was a loving and caring mother. She loved watching her boys compete in anything and spent countless hours driving them to practice and rooting for them at the big game…some call her “the best sports mom ever”. She loved to play bridge and was a sharpshooter in basketball beating her boys at “Horse” for many years, much longer than they cared to admit. She had a special relationship with her grandchildren playing games and making her famous chocolate chip cookies.

Joan was strong in her Catholic faith and found joy in giving back to the church and her community. She was involved in the Junior League of Wichita, the Wichita Thrift Shop and the Wichita Sedgwick County Historical Museum. She became a eucharistic minister at the Church of Magdalen and volunteered her time to take communion to those that were unable to attend church which she continued the rest of her life. Later in life she moved back to Kansas City to be near family and continued her volunteer work in many charities. She also continued to enjoy seeing her many grandchildren in their sporting events.

Joan is survived by Terry and Josie Lillis, Richard and Julie Boushka, Michael Boushka and Lois Ball, James and Patricia Boushka, Patrick and Michele Boushka, John and Tricia Boushka, her 11 Grandchildren – Christine, Morgan, Paul, Brian, Mark, Bridget, Andrew, Bryce, Megan, Matthew and Bennett. Joan was preceded in death by her parents James and Kathrine Lillis, her brothers James, Helm, Tom, and her sister Deidra.

A Rosary (11:00 am) and Mass (12:00 pm) will be held at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, in Leawood, Kansas on Tuesday September 1st. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a memorial contribution be made to St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish (www.stmichaelcp.org/donations-payments).