Dear Endres Family,

We wrote you just about the time of Janice's passing.  I do hope that you received it.   I spent a beautiful day with your dear Mother when she came to Mary Kirtley Bocox's grave service in Perry.  How very special she was . . . and do hope that you received our two letters.   Your mother was precious and truly loved Mary Bocox (her sister).   She was a joy and know that you miss her so --

Blessings and hugs and joy for your sweet comfort,   George (and Jane) Bocox in Lenexa, KS

I asked my Grandmother about what it was like during the Great Depression.  She had a memory of going with her mother and father (Charles Thomas Kirtley) to the bank.  She remembered how nervous they were because they needed to borrow $2 to by flour to feed their family.  She also remembered having to sacrifice favorite foods because there was only select things to eat.  
I, personally, was always amazed at my Grandma and her energy.  Even in her 90s, she could do more than I could.  She grew all her own vegetables and made everything from scratch.  In the evenings while the family would be watching TV together, she was in her chair in the corner crocheting, or sewing, or making a quilt.  She, like her mother before her, made a quilt for all of her grandchildren.  On the back of the quilt, she had a sewed a trace of her hand and the words, “Handcrafted by J.E.” underneath it.  She was always doing something and everything was always neat and orderly.  She loved to take walks around her neighborhood, even though she had already did so much during the day.  
I’ll miss her everyday until we meet again (John 5:28)
-Lisa Morrow


In 2001, I interviewed my Grandmother, Janice Kirtley-Endres, to find out about her family and her life growing up.  When she was born all of her grandparents were still alive, but her Grandma Kirtley (Anna Johnson Mahan) had died before she was one-year-old.  She remembered her Grandma Sokol (Anna Elizabeth Vavara), whom they call called, “Ba Ba”, short for babička (Grandma in Czech).  Grandma had 5 older sisters, and when they all visited their Sokol grandparents, her Ba Ba would hold out her arms to give her six granddaughters a group hug saying, “Lots of it, lots of it, girls!”  She died when Grandma was 6 years old.
Grandma knew both of her grandfathers well.  They lived with their Grandpa Kirtley (William H. H. Kirtley) so she had many memories of him telling all his grandchildren stories of his wild west adventures.  She was in awe of his big appetite.  If her mother (Jennie Sokol-Kirtley) had not left some food on the stove, the rest of the family would have starved.  Grandma volunteered to live with her Grandpa Sokol (Francis Josef Sokol) when she was 18 because he needed care in his old age.  Her mother was unable to take care of her father at the time because Aunt Clara, who had a heart murmur, needed her attention.  So, Grandma told her mother she would go and take care of him.  Grandpa Sokol only spoke Pidgin English, so her mother had to teach her some Bohemian words so that she could communicate somewhat with her Grandfather to tend to his needs.  Her mother taught her how to make her grandpa’s favorite meal.  Her mother came to take over for the last few months of her grandpa’s life.  Grandma had gotten very close to her Grandpa Sokol and mourned him deeply when he died.


I found some pictures of Grandma to share, so I will be attaching them here.   It is hard to say goodbye, but having and sharing our memories of this beautiful lady will always be a comfort. 

Just a sweet second hello to your dear family from George and Jane Bocox -- eldest son of Mary Kirtley Bocox and George Howard Bocox.    We just returned from decorating your sweet siblings' graves and would have headed over to the Catholic Cemetery in Perry had we known.   Had such fun thinking of Bill and Phil, Mable and Herman, and others -- we always decorate sweet Alice's precious daughter born in 1948 -- Linda Carol -- and her precious handmade stone at the foot of Alice Elizabeth Kirtley Koch.    

While I think of it, I well remember bringing along a HUGE box of my daughter's leftover fabrics to Frances Jane (Jennie) one day in 1975 -- and she made it into a dear quilt.   GaGa (Mary Kirtley) said it was the most lovely quilt she had ever seen done all up in childhood fabrics -- we had three gals and a son at the last.   Think that Ann may have it and know you love and treasure it.  

 We'd love to have met each of you so -- and would have come to the funeral -- but at 8 a.m. on Wednesday we fly out to Barcelona, Spain and our daughter has all six of us heading on a 14-day additional cruise to the Western Mediterranean.   Have only been out of the states once -- so it is a big deal.   We will be thinking of you on Tuesday and adding our prayers to yours.  Had such a delightful time of sharing with your mother at our mother's funeral -- she was such a delight and know you loved her too.   She reminded me so very much of our precious GaGa.    There was none finer . . . she was as near perfect as one can be!    Blessings and  our love to each of you girls!   And I do remember so very well -- how excited she was to see again all of her sweet sisters and brothers -- now Janice will be in the midst of them all.   (Grandpa will be having a hey day!   He was pure joy!)    Love and hugs and joy to each.        Blessings, George and Jane Bocox

What a precious time we shared with Janice at the funeral in 2014 of her sister, Mary Ellen Kirtley Bocox.   Those six Kirtley sisters were such amazing and wonderful friends -- they brought such joy to each other and to their home.   Had an elder brother, Larkin, a brother in the middle (Charlie Thomas, Jr) who passed away at 18 months with the summer colic, and then sweet brothers Bill and Phil at the bottom of the ten children.   They had such an unusual and happy childhood.   Their Dad (Charles Thomas called Charlie) was always a funnin' and never knew an unkind word.  He was such pure joy -- we had him visit us several times in our home in Kansas City.    What joy and delight he brought!  And he was so proud, proud, proud of ALL of his children  -- they only brought him joy.   They always took such care of each other and there was always a "crowd" heading out to church or to town together.   

And Sunday afternoons -- did they ever bring joy and full tummies!   As they grew and married, each child would come back with THEIR family to eat at Grandma Jennie's home on Sundays -- each bringing their own favorite foods to add to the smorgasbord.   I well remember how our father, George Howard -- had to give up a perfectly great Ford (which he loved so) because it was war time and the tires were worn out.  Of course, there were no available tires for automobiles since all rubber went to the war effort in the 40's -- and sweet Dad had to give up his wonderful car for a Studebaker that he never liked at all.   Of course, it DID have tires that would get him the 70 miles from Medford to Perry for those wonderful Sunday visits.  So, they went each Sunday afternoon -- in the rather junky Studebaker - into Perry to visit all their families.   There was never a finer time had!   At the funeral of her elder sister, Mary Bocox, Janice and I chatted such a long time.   Janice well remembered those Sunday afternoons, a bit like heaven surely is to them all now.   (Jane Bocox)

OBITUARY

Anna "Janice" Endres

November 17, 1923 – May 15, 2018

Baggerley Funeral Home

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