Leopold E. Van Garsse of Mission age 90 died on August 17, 2016 at Kansas City Hospice House with his family at his side. Lee was born August 8, 1926 and grew up on the north side of Chicago, Illinois. After graduating from High School in 1944 and as WWII was still going on, he enlisted in the United States Navy Reserve at the age of 17. He closed out his Navy career aboard the USS Pennsylvania in 1946. In 1948 he started working for AT&T in Chicago. He was transferred to Kansas City in 1956 and retired from AT&T in 1984. He also worked at the Mission Bank. He courted and married his neighborhood sweetheart Doris Mae Burke in 1949. Lee was preceded in death by his father Leopold, mother Emma, wife Doris, son John Edward and brother Eugene. He is survived by his son Jim, wife Karen of Leawood, grandchildren Jessica, husband Octavio Pires and Ryan; daughter Jane Pickett, husband Tim of St. Louis, grandchildren Timothy, wife Jennifer, Jeremy, wife Jessica, Elizabeth, husband Ryan Brady and Ryan, fiance Cate; daughter Jean Hillmer, husband Reid of Overland Park, grandchildren Eric, fiancé Laura, Emma, Mark and Paul; daughter Jody Horn, husband Dave of Lenexa, grandchildren Eileen, husband Rick Martin, Jeffrey, wife Brittany, and Daniel, daughter Julie Hosty, husband Thomas of Indianapolis, grandchildren Thomas, wife Liz, Mary Kate Becker, husband Preston, Jack, Liam and Elizabeth; son Joseph and wife Lisa of Greensboro, NC; daughter Jill Hosty, husband Brian and grandchild Brian Jr, of Burr Ridge IL; Jason, wife Doctor Anne, grandchildren Catherine, Julia and Caroline of Kansas City MO; and a foster son Bill Scott, wife Carolyn, grandchildren Lauren, Simeon, and Keely of Naples FL. Lee is also survived by six great grandchildren. Lee was an active member of St. Pius X Catholic Church in Mission; the Telephone Pioneers of America; a councilman for the City of Mission and a volunteer chaplain at the University of Kansas Medical Center. His commitment to his family and faith were foremost with him.

Services

A Visitation is set for 9:00 ~ 10:00 AM, Monday, August 22, 2016 at St. Pius X Catholic Church 5500 Woodson Road Mission, KS 66202 with A Mass of Christian Burial immediately following at 10:00 AM. Burial will take place at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery.

Contributions

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St. Pius X Catholic Church.