Gretchen G. Sayers

Gretchen Gettie Sayers was born on October 25, 1963 to Ralph and Jean Shepard. She was the second oldest of four children. She passed away surrounded by her loving husband and daughters on October 4, 2024 in Kansas City, Kansas. 

Gretchen grew up in Raytown, Missouri. She had a happy childhood and made close, lifelong friends during it. The first in her family to get a college degree, Gretchen graduated from the University of Missouri, Kansas City twice. First with a Bachelor of Arts, Political Science degree in 1986 and then from its School of Law with her JD in 1992. While in law school she served as an editor for the Law Review. 

Most of her career was spent in the insurance field. She was also deeply impacted by her experiences working for Congressman Alan Wheat and as a law clerk for Judge Scott Olin Wright of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri. She enjoyed her work and met many wonderful, smart people through it. She had a successful career, but more importantly, she chose to work in a field and in a way that allowed her to spend time with her family. That time was especially important to her while her daughters were growing up. 

Gretchen met the love of her life, John, in the early 1980s at a bar called Pogo’s. They reconnected years later at Charlie Hooper’s in Brookside. They had many fun times at Hooper’s and at the nearby Waldo home they eventually bought on 74th Terrace. Gretchen and John got married on May 19, 1990 and their 34 years of marriage were full of happiness.

On November 6, 1998, she gave birth to Jacqueline (Jackie) Danielle Sayers. Approximately a year and a half later, on April 13, 2000, she had her second daughter, Hadley Jamison Sayers. She was the best mom, incredibly close with her daughters and proud of them. Gretchen also formed many close relationships with her daughters’ friends and their families. We will all deeply miss her.

Gretchen enjoyed taking trips and watching sports with her family, reading, thrift-shopping, looking at hummingbirds, and competing with her family members and neighbors each day in the NYT games. She also cared deeply about the state of our country and world and was a very politically active citizen. Those who knew her know the world is better because she was in it. 

 Overall, Gretchen was a healthy, active person who enjoyed going for walks. She was also very in tune with her body and did not miss checkup appointments or hesitate to see a doctor when she felt that something might be wrong. As a young adult just starting her career, she beat Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. In the Spring of 2023, she began her fight with Sarcoma. Her health battles were extremely unfair, however she fought them very bravely.

In Gretchen’s own words, “[she believes she has] been a very lucky person.” We are the luckiest because we got to know and love her. 

Gretchen is survived by her husband, John Sayers; her daughters, Jackie and Hadley Sayers; her mother, Jean Shepard; her cats, Eloise and Hamilton; her dog, Justice; her sister, Genny Cox; her brother, Ralph Shepard; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her father, Ralph Shepard; her sister, Elfie Shepard; and many loving cats and dogs. 

We will be celebrating her birthday and life on Friday, October 25, 2024 at the Amos Family Funeral Home in Shawnee, Kansas. The memorial service will start at 4:30 p.m. and will be followed by a visitation until 7 p.m.

Gretchen cared about many important causes. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of those causes: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, any Sarcoma research organizations, and the Kansas Senate Democrats.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

6811 Shawnee Mission Pkwy, #202, Mission, KS 66202

www.lls.org

or

Kansas Senate Democrats

PO Box 1811, Topeka, KS 66601

www.kssenatedem.org

or

any Sarcoma research organizations