John Russell O'Malley

He was born on April 9, 1948 in Kansas City, MO to Dr. J.F. and Mary Kathryn (Baty) O’Malley. John was the second of seven children and attended St. Francis Xavier Grade School (’62), Rockhurst High School (’66), St. Louis University (’70,) and St. Louis University Law School (’73). It was during college at SLU that he met his future wife, Fran Pottinger, the mother of his three children.

His first job was Assistant City Counselor in St. Louis where he was a prosecutor in the municipal court on behalf of the city. In 1975, he returned to Kansas City and opened a private practice. He served as a prosecutor in Grandview, in addition to teaching for 28 years at several area colleges. In addition, he spent 26 years in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. In 1989, he was appointed to the Circuit Court of Jackson County, MO where he served for 20 years and was elected to two terms as Presiding Judge in 1995 and 1998. He chaired the Judicial Education Committee and served on a number of Missouri Supreme Court Committees including as chairman on Commission, Retirement and Removal, Chairman of the Transfer Committee and the Weighted Workload Study. His reputation for fairness and knowledge of the law earned him the respect of his colleagues. In 2009, he became the Kansas City area’s first Federal U.S. Immigration Judge in the newly created Immigration Court, a position from which he retired in 2015. A favorite pastime was fishing and he often joined his siblings on a yearly fishing trip to Michigan at the Reed Ranch.

He leaves behind his children, Colin (Janine) O’Malley (Chicago, IL), Carey O’Malley (Lenexa, KS), Martin (Lia) O’Malley (Bettendorf, IA); as well as 8 grandchildren, Aidan, Grace, Dylan, Delaney, Maeve, Aibhlinn, Madeline and Jack. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Brian O’Malley, and is survived by his siblings, James, Patrick, Terence, Mary Bridget Kratofil, and Mary Kathryn.

Visitation will be held 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 5 at McGilley State Line Chapel, 12301 State Line Rd., Kansas City, MO 64145. The Rosary will be said at 6:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 6 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 12800 W. 75th St., Shawnee, KS 66216. Private family interment.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mcgilleymidtownchapel.com for the O'Malley family.