Alice Marie Pope

Alice Marie (Stephan) Pope entered eternal rest at Shawnee Mission Medical Center on March 7, 2012.

Alice was born in rural Walnut, Kansas on January 17, 1926, to Charles Edward and Theresa Agnes (Schulz) Stephan. Alice was a child of the Depression; her father passed when she was 13 years old and she was instrumental in the raising and care of her 6 brothers and sisters. She counted herself very fortunate to be able to attend Walnut High School where she graduated in 1943. She enrolled at the Mercy School of Nursing in Fort Scott, Kansas in January of 1944 and simultaneously joined the Army Nurse Corps as a means to afford her tuition. She graduated from Nursing School in December of 1946 and was offered a nursing position at St. Mary's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri as an OB Recovery nurse. She enjoyed her job working with post partum mothers so much that she retired from that position 45 years later.

Mrs. Pope was united in marriage to Rolland A. (Chuck) Pope of Fort Scott, Kansas at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri on July 5, 1947. They made their home on Holly Street near the Westport District until May 1953 when they moved to Shawnee, Kansas where they resided until 1994, at which time they moved to Georgetown Apartments. She spent the last 3 and half years enjoying the people and activities at Overland Park Place. Alice's home was the gathering spot for all the Shawnee Village kids. Everyone knew and loved Alice and marveled at her boundless energy, raising nine children of her own, a foreign exchange student (Veronique Luca, Belgium) and countless neighbor children. Baseball at Pope Field, Bridge and Monopoly games were nonstop from daylight to dark in the Pope Family. Alice was very supportive and encouraged education. Her children all attended college with most obtaining advanced degrees. She was particularly proud that one of her daughters, two daughter-in-laws, and a granddaughter followed in her professional footsteps by becoming Registered Nurses.

Mrs. Pope was an active member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Shawnee, Kansas and their senior clubs: Keen Agers and Silver Liners.

Mrs. Pope was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Vincent and Charles; a daughter-in-law, Jackie (Piper) Pope and her husband, Chuck on August 28, 1999.

She is survived by nine children: Stephan (Janice) Pope, Chilhowee, Missouri, Charles (Mona) Pope, Olathe, Kansas, Bernard (Dorothy) Pope, Shawnee, Kansas, Thomas (Lisa), Olathe, Kansas, Cynthia (Jeff) Mead, Sidney, Montana, Mary (Jim) Bondank, Scottsdale, Arizona, Patricia (Loren) Martin, Girard, Kansas, Renee (Michael) White, Joplin, Missouri, and Michele Pope, League City, Texas; 18 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. Additional survivors include her siblings: Joseph (Billie) Stephan, Palestine, Texas, James (Kay) Stephan, Walnut, Kansas, Sister M. Charlene Stephan, RSM, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Eileen (Ted) Otto, Lenexa, Kansas.

The family wishes to thank the compassionate staff at Shawnee Mission Hospital ICU as well as the wonderful residents and staff at Overland Park Place where Alice knew no strangers.

Visitation and Funeral Service

Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m., Friday, March 9, 2012, at Amos Funeral Home and Crematory, Shawnee. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, March 10, 2012, at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 12800 West 75th Street, Shawnee, Kansas. Burial in Resurrection Cemetery, Lenexa, Kansas.

Memorial Contributions

In lieu of flowers, monetary donations in Alice's memory can be made to Children's Haven of Southwest Missouri, 701 S. Picher Avenue, Joplin, Missouri 64801.