Judith Kay (Bichelmeyer) Sumpter, (79), of Lenexa, Kansas, passed away on June 17, 2021 at Kansas City Hospice House in Kansas City, MO.
Funeral services will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 11311 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, Kansas, on Wednesday, June 30th, with visitation at 9:30 am and mass at 10:30 am. Burial will be immediately following at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. Arrangements are provided by Amos Family Funeral Home in Shawnee. Following the services, family and friends are invited to gather for a meal and music at the parish hall in the basement of the church.
Judy was born in Kansas City, Kansas to John Floyd Bichelmeyer and Mary Helen (Matson) Bichelmeyer on October 25, 1941. In 1959, she graduated from St. Joseph (Shawnee) Catholic High School. In 1963, she graduated from Marymount College in Salina, Kansas, with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education. She taught English and drama at St Joseph (Shawnee) Catholic High School from 1963 to 1965, at Bishop Ward High School from 1965 to 1967, and at Bishop Miege High School from 1967 to 1969. Judy married Richard Wayne Sumpter on July 28, 1969 in Kansas City, Kansas.
In 1982, Judy produced and directed Godspell with the St. Joseph Youth Group. Judy served as a consultant (volunteer and paid) for the theater department at Shawnee Mission West High School from 1988 to 1997, working with Seth McClintock to support performances such as the Pajama Game, Little Mary Sunshine, Cinderella, and The King and I. From 1998 to 2003, Judy supported Susan Goodman at Holy Spirit School and wrote the scripts for performances such as The Enchanted Forest, the annual Grandparents Day, and Once Upon a Clothes Line. Through her teaching and theater productions, Judy helped countless students to develop abilities to imagine and empathize with the lives of others. Judy’s great gift was that she loved, appreciated, and celebrated people simply as they are.
Judy was preceded in death by her father John F. Bichelmeyer - 2004, her mother Mary Helen (Matson) Bichelmeyer - 2000, her brother John George Bichelmeyer - 1965, sister Joan (Bichelmeyer) Grimm - 2004, and her son, Richard Wayne Sumpter II – 1985.
Judy is survived by her husband Richard Wayne Sumpter, daughters Andrea Marie Sumpter of Studio City CA, Amanda Britton (Brian) McCoy of Prairie Village KS, and Laura Jane Sumpter of Tucson Arizona; brothers James Noel Bichelmeyer, Joseph Mathias (Martha Jean) Bichelmeyer, and Jerome Lee (Nancy Lucinda) Bichelmeyer, all of Shawnee; sisters Jean Marie (Russ) Jenkins of Emporia KS, Jane Clare (Louis) Wetzel of Westwood KS, Mary Terese (Scott) Lucas of Mission Hills KS, and Barbara Anne (Emily Ward) Bichelmeyer of Lawrence KS. Judy also leaves her beloved grandchildren, Wylie Patrick McCoy, Samantha Judith McCoy and Justin Richard McCoy.
Memorials in honor of Judy may be given either to the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival (kcshakes.org) or to ArtsKC, Kansas City’s regional arts council (artskc.org).
Judy’s family wishes to extend sincere thanks to the physicians, nurses and staff at Advent Health System in Merriam, KS.
Funeral Ceremony
Start Date: June 30, 2021, 10:30 am
End Date: June 30, 2021, 11:30 am
St. Joseph Catholic Church
11311 Johnson Dr.
Shawnee, KS 66203
Phone: 913-631-5983
Graveside Service
Start Date: June 30, 2021, 11:45 am
End Date: June 30, 2021, 12:00 pm
St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
61st & Quivira Rd.
Shawnee, KS
Phone: 913-371-4040
Visitation
Start Date: June 30, 2021, 9:30 am
End Date: June 30, 2021, 10:30 am
St. Joseph Catholic Church
11311 Johnson Dr.
Shawnee, KS 66203
Phone: 913-631-5983
Final Resting Place
St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
61st & Quivira Rd.
Shawnee, KS
Funeral services will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 11311 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, Kansas, on Wednesday, June 30th, with visitation at 9:30 am and mass at 10:30 am. Burial will be immediately following at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. Arrangements are provided by Amos Family Funeral Home in Shawnee. Following the services, family and friends are invited to gather for a meal and music at the parish hall in the basement of the church.
Judy was born in Kansas City, Kansas to John Floyd Bichelmeyer and Mary Helen (Matson) Bichelmeyer on October 25, 1941. In 1959, she graduated from St. Joseph (Shawnee) Catholic High School. In 1963, she graduated from Marymount College in Salina, Kansas, with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education. She taught English and drama at St Joseph (Shawnee) Catholic High School from 1963 to 1965, at Bishop Ward High School from 1965 to 1967, and at Bishop Miege High School from 1967 to 1969. Judy married Richard Wayne Sumpter on July 28, 1969 in Kansas City, Kansas.
In 1982, Judy produced and directed Godspell with the St. Joseph Youth Group. Judy served as a consultant (volunteer and paid) for the theater department at Shawnee Mission West High School from 1988 to 1997, working with Seth McClintock to support performances such as the Pajama Game, Little Mary Sunshine, Cinderella, and The King and I. From 1998 to 2003, Judy supported Susan Goodman at Holy Spirit School and wrote the scripts for performances such as The Enchanted Forest, the annual Grandparents Day, and Once Upon a Clothes Line. Through her teaching and theater productions, Judy helped countless students to develop abilities to imagine and empathize with the lives of others. Judy’s great gift was that she loved, appreciated, and celebrated people simply as they are.
Judy was preceded in death by her father John F. Bichelmeyer - 2004, her mother Mary Helen (Matson) Bichelmeyer - 2000, her brother John George Bichelmeyer - 1965, sister Joan (Bichelmeyer) Grimm - 2004, and her son, Richard Wayne Sumpter II – 1985.
Judy is survived by her husband Richard Wayne Sumpter, daughters Andrea Marie Sumpter of Studio City CA, Amanda Britton (Brian) McCoy of Prairie Village KS, and Laura Jane Sumpter of Tucson Arizona; brothers James Noel Bichelmeyer, Joseph Mathias (Martha Jean) Bichelmeyer, and Jerome Lee (Nancy Lucinda) Bichelmeyer, all of Shawnee; sisters Jean Marie (Russ) Jenkins of Emporia KS, Jane Clare (Louis) Wetzel of Westwood KS, Mary Terese (Scott) Lucas of Mission Hills KS, and Barbara Anne (Emily Ward) Bichelmeyer of Lawrence KS. Judy also leaves her beloved grandchildren, Wylie Patrick McCoy, Samantha Judith McCoy and Justin Richard McCoy.
Memorials in honor of Judy may be given either to the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival (kcshakes.org) or to ArtsKC, Kansas City’s regional arts council (artskc.org).
Judy’s family wishes to extend sincere thanks to the physicians, nurses and staff at Advent Health System in Merriam, KS.
Events
Funeral Ceremony
Start Date: June 30, 2021, 10:30 am
End Date: June 30, 2021, 11:30 am
St. Joseph Catholic Church
11311 Johnson Dr.
Shawnee, KS 66203
Phone: 913-631-5983
Graveside Service
Start Date: June 30, 2021, 11:45 am
End Date: June 30, 2021, 12:00 pm
St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
61st & Quivira Rd.
Shawnee, KS
Phone: 913-371-4040
Visitation
Start Date: June 30, 2021, 9:30 am
End Date: June 30, 2021, 10:30 am
St. Joseph Catholic Church
11311 Johnson Dr.
Shawnee, KS 66203
Phone: 913-631-5983
Final Resting Place
St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
61st & Quivira Rd.
Shawnee, KS
Guestbook
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