Kathleen M. Reyes

Kathleen Marie Reyes, 59, of Westwood, Kansas, passed away peacefully at home on August 2, 2016, after a courageous battle with breast cancer. She was surrounded by her loving husband, Anthony P. Reyes, and beloved daughters, Kathleen Anne, Maria Christine, and Monica Marie. Kathleen was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 2, 1957. She is preceded in death by her parents, Eugene Francis and Anna Mae (née Santomieri) McFarland, and grandparents Thomas (Margaret) McFarland and Peter (Teressa) Santomieri.

She attended Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic School (K-8) and graduated from Archbishop Ryan High School for Girls in 1975. After high school, Kathleen attended the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, from 1975-1977. In 1978, she graduated from the Wilma Boyd Career School and began her profession in the travel and tourism industry as a reservation and ticketing agent for Braniff Airlines near Kansas City International Airport. In Kansas City, she met Tony Reyes and the young couple married in 1982. Following their marriage, Kathleen and her husband transferred with the airlines to Dallas, TX. When the company closed, they moved to Philadelphia, where Kathleen worked for Rosenbluth Travel as Senior Reservation Agent and Travel School Instructor until 1984. She also worked in Philadelphia for Parkway Travel Agency and later for American Express Travel, earning top honors and awards for outstanding service. In 1985, the couple returned to Kansas City where Kathleen worked for American Express Travel on the Plaza. She received numerous Top Business Travel Coordinator Performers awards for outstanding customer service, one for driving 140 miles to deliver cash and assistance to a customer whose truck had broken down and left him stranded. From 2009-2016, Kathleen served as Office Manager, KC Podiatry Care in Prairie Village, KS.

In 1989, she and Tony welcomed their first child, and Kathleen devoted herself completely to her vocation as wife and mother to her three beautiful daughters. She considered Catholic motherhood her life’s work and greatest achievement.

Kathleen was a loving, gentle woman of strong Catholic faith. She was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society of St. Agnes Catholic Church in Roeland Park and later became the head coordinator of St. Agnes Adoration Chapel. She was a faith formation teacher, parent volunteer at her children’s schools, and Catholic home school teacher. She and her family were parishioners of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri, and St. Ann Catholic Church in Prairie Village, KS.

Kathleen is survived by her brothers: Eugene, Daniel (Theresa), Patrick (Jennifer), James, and Timothy (Marianne); and sisters: Teresa (Charles Holmberg) and Joanne. She is also survived by her father-in-law Antonio Reyes; brother-in-law John Reyes (Bobbie) and sisters-in-law Christine (Mike Kirkpatrick) and Laura (Mark Osbern). She was a beloved aunt to 19 nieces and nephews and 35 grandnieces and nephews. Along with her adoring family, Kathleen will be missed by many wonderful friends who loved and supported her throughout her years as a wife, mother, and sister in Christ.

Visitation and rosary on Sunday, August 7, from 5-7 pm at McGilley & Hoge Johnson County Memorial Chapel, 8024 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, KS. Mass of the Christian Burial Monday, August 8 at 9:30 am, Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 3934 Washington Street, Kansas City, MO. Interment will be at Resurrection Cemetery, Lenexa, KS. Contributions may be given in Kathleen’s memory to her youngest daughter Monica’s higher education fund.