Rose Marie Schultes

Rose Marie was born on September 16, 1927 to Joseph Reindl and Elizabeth Gast Reindl in Leavenworth, Kansas. She married the love of her life James Conner Schultes on April 18, 1953 at St. Joseph Church in Leavenworth. She was the mother of two daughters, Barbara and Lisa. Rose Marie lived in Overland Park, Kansas since 1980 and worked as a bank teller, most recently employed by Bank of America. She was an active member of St. Agnes Catholic Church in Roeland Park.

Rose Marie was born at the Gast Family Farm, just outside of Leavenworth. She attended Hazel Dell Elementary School, a rural one-room school house from 1933 to 1941. She attended Immaculata High School in Leavenworth from 1941 to 1945.

Upon her high school graduation, Rose Marie was employed by the United States Ration Board until the end of World War II. She then served as the head cashier of the Kansas Electric Company for eight years.

Rose Marie’s husband Jim was also a native of Leavenworth. He was a World War II Navy veteran and an air traffic controller. Soon after Rose Marie and Jim were married, they moved to Springfield, Missouri where Jim worked at the newly-built Springfield Municipal Airport. Rose Marie and Jim’s daughters, Barbara and Lisa, were born in Springfield. While living in Springfield, the family attended St. Agnes Catholic Church. Rose Marie served as President of the St. Agnes School PTA and on the Church Altar Society.

While still residing in Springfield, Jim underwent heart surgery at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City in 1964. Jim was one of the first patients to receive an artificial aortic heart valve at St. Luke’s. Rose Marie cared and prayed for him diligently while he was in a coma after his heart surgery and during his later recovery. Jim passed away in March 1969 leaving Rose Marie with two young daughters. Despite limited financial resources, Rose Marie made sure that both daughters had college educations. Barbara graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.A. in Microbiology and a B.S. in Medical Technology and Lisa graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.S. in Accounting and a J.D. Her sacrifices for her daughters were unceasing.

Rose Marie moved from Springfield to Overland Park in 1980 and became employed as a bank teller at Ranchmart Bank (which later became Nations Bank and then Bank of America). After moving from the 95th and Mission bank location to a branch bank on Metcalf Avenue, Rose Marie survived three bank robberies. She retired in 1994 shortly after the third bank robbery, feeling fortunate to still be alive.

After her move to the Kansas City area, Rose Marie joined St. Agnes Catholic Church in Roeland Park, Kansas. She became an active member of its Altar & Rosary Society serving as Treasurer from 2003-2009 and as the “Sunshine Chairwoman” from 2001-2003 in charge of sending cards and expressions of support and sympathy. She volunteered to make meals for the priests, food for funeral dinners and baked goods for fundraisers.

Rose Marie’s faith was very important in her life. She prayed each evening especially for others, including relatives, friends and even those she did not know. She was an extremely caring individual with a great deal of empathy for others. She was always interested in other people and the details of their lives. She cultivated friendships through phone calls, frequent correspondence and expressions of support and concern. Friends she made in school, as neighbors, and through her work and church involvement in Leavenworth, Springfield and Kansas City remained life–long friends.

Cooking and baking were Rose Marie’s passions. She was famous among her family and friends for baking the most delicious pies and cakes. She knew each person’s favorite dessert and would be sure to bake it for their visit.

She loved her grandchildren Jason, Jennifer, Lizzie and Jimmy dearly and was their biggest cheerleader.

Rose Marie’s enduring legacy will be the values she taught her children and grandchildren by her example – faith in God, love of family and service to your neighbor.

She was predeceased by her parents and her husband. She is survived by her daughter, Barbara Schultes Bell of San Antonio, Texas, and her husband Dr. Randall Bell and grandchildren Jason (wife Alyson) and Jennifer Bell, and by daughter, Lisa Schultes of Fairway, her husband Dan O’Connell and grandchildren Elizabeth “Lizzie” and James “Jimmy” O’Connell.

Visitation will be held at McGilley & Hoge Memorial Chapel, 8024 Santa Fe, Overland Park from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 9th. A Rosary will follow the visitation. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 5250 Mission at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 10th. Burial will be at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Leavenworth at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, June 10th.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Agnes Altar & Rosary Society, 5250 Mission Road, Roeland Park, KS 66205. Please offer condolences at www.mcgilleyhoge.com.