Ina May Fakhoury

Ina May was born on March 30, 1934, to Dr. Ray and Fay Brewster of Lawrence, Kansas, the youngest of four children. Ina May gave up her final semester at Lawrence High School to accompany her parents to Egypt for her father’s sabbatical in the Chemistry department at Alexandria University. It was there she met the love of her life, Donald A. (Don) Fakhoury—a young, handsome medical student at the time. After several years of corresponding in a long-distance relationship so she could complete a degree in Entomology at the University of Kansas, Ina May and Don were married in Lawrence on June 9, 1956. The newlyweds spent their first years together in Alexandria while Don completed his internship and Ina May taught in the American school there. The couple returned to the US to establish their home in Kansas City where they raised their 3 boys: Steve, Mark, & John. The family grew to include 3 daughters-in-law, 5 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.

Like the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31, Ina May enjoyed a diverse array of interests and activities over her lifetime. As an expression of her deep and abiding faith, Ina May volunteered extensively at Grace Baptist Church, including leadership roles with American Baptist Women, American Baptist Churches USA, Board of International Ministries, American Baptist Assembly, as well as the NKC and Missouri Medical Auxiliaries. But, her ministries were not limited to formal organizations. Ina May had a special talent for hospitality—whether it was around the dining room table or a campfire outside of the camper, she welcomed hundreds of global visitors, refugees, family, and friends and prepared countless meals to share the love of Jesus with all she met.

Ina May was a gardener—planting flowers, fruit, vegetables and then using the bounty of her harvest to prepare untold amounts of applesauce, pitted cherries, pesto, tomato sauce, and on and on. She was a chocolatier—making dozens of pounds of Fakhoury Fancies chocolates to distribute each Christmas. She was a seamstress—sewing clothes, quilts, sleepers, hot pads—whatever was needed at the time. Ina May loved singing alto in the choir, playing games with anyone who would take the time to join her, and bringing people together.

“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”

—Proverbs 31:10, 30

Ina May was preceded in death by Don (July 2017) and her sisters Doris Swift (Feb 2009) and Nita Grier (April 2019). She is survived by son Stephen (wife Janice, grandson Joshua [wife Jessica and great-grandchildren Jenna and Jordan] and grandson Drew [wife Alyssa]), son Mark (wife Elizabeth, grandchildren Stuart and Miriam), and son John, daughter-in-law Mako Ueno, and grandson James.

Visitation with the family will be held at Grace Baptist Church, 3101 NE Vivion Rd, KCMO on Saturday, January 15, from 10:00 - 11:00 AM. Memorial service immediately following at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Grace Baptist Church or Clay County Clothes Closet.