Julia Louise Minnie Kelly Polfer

Julia Louise Minnie Kelly Polfer, 96, formerly of rural Olathe, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at 12:05 a.m., December 27, 2009 in Overland Park, Kansas.

Julia was born August 15, 1913 in Argentine, Kansas to Roy and Emma Kresin Kelly. After her father's untimely death, four-year-old Julia, her brother, and their mother resided with her maternal grandparents, William and Lena Lau Kresin until their mother remarried Ernest Hirning of rural Olathe.

Julia graduated from DeSoto High School in 1931 and married her high school sweetheart, Roy E. Polfer, on November 29, 1933. As a wedding gift, Roy built a new house for Julia and there they raised four children. Early in their marriage, Julia and Roy were young entrepreneurs and operated a service station and The Night Hawk café at the current junction of K-7 Highway and 83rd Street in Lenexa. When they started a family, Roy traded the businesses for his first farm which he operated until 1979. They were a good team with Roy driving the tractor and Julia keeping everyone well fed.

After their children were raised, Julia entered the work force and was employed first at the DeSoto State Bank and later at Miller's Department Store in Olathe, Kansas.

Following the death of her husband of 56 years, Julia continued to live on the farm until she was 93 and enjoyed playing cards, entertaining friends, watching basketball, mentoring her grandchildren, and attending historic Monticello United Methodist Church.

In addition to her parents and husband, Julia was preceded in death by her brother, William Kelly, her daughter Beverly Polfer Smith, and her half-sister Ernestine Hirning Tripkos.

Survivors include her children Janice (Ambrose) Kelly of Overland Park, Kansas, Neil (Mary) Polfer of Pittsburg, Kansas, and Kent (Barbara) Polfer of Leawood, Kansas; grandchildren Greg (Liz) Kelly of Leawood, Kansas, Kevin (Tammie) Kelly and Kathleen (Marquin) Reeves of Shawnee, Kansas, James Polfer of Lenexa, Kansas, Elizabeth (Joseph) Dombrowsky of Silver Spring, Maryland, Leigh Polfer of Washington, D.C., and Kelby Polfer of Leawood, Kansas; half-sisters Emma Jean Taylor of Eudora, Kansas and Lu (Jack) Davidson of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; five great-grandchildren and one great great grandchild.

Julia will be remembered for her kind and generous nature, her genuine concern for those in need, her unwavering defense of the underdog, and her homemade chicken and noodles. The family expresses their heartfelt thanks to the staffs of Village Shalom and Kansas City Hospice for their compassionate care.

Memorial contributions may be made to Kansas City Hospice, 10100 W. 87th Street, Suite 100, Overland Park, Kansas 66212 or Monticello United Methodist Church, 23860 W. 75th Street, Shawnee, Kansas 66227.

Visitation and Funeral Service

A visitation will be held from 10 to 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at Monticello United Methodist Church, 23860 W. 75th Street, Shawnee, immediately followed by a celebration of her life at 11:00 a.m. Interment at Mt. Muncie Cemetery, Leavenworth, Kansas.