1933
Donald
2008
Donald Willsey
July 13, 1933 — February 24, 2008
Donald Wilkin Willsey died Sunday, February 24, 2008.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral, 13th and Broadway, followed by a lunch reception in Founders' Hall. Private burial. The family requests no flowers and suggests contributions to St. Luke's Hospice or Grace & Holy Trinity.
Don was born July 13, 1933, in Greenwood, Mo. He grew up in Kansas City, Mo., became an Eagle Scout and was a member of the tribe of Mic-O-Say and DeMolay. Don lettered in basketball and football at Central High School. He graduated from Central Missouri State College in Warrensburg, where he lettered in football, then taught and coached at Higginsville and William Chrisman high schools. He was freshman football coach at the University of South Carolina, served in the Army and sold life insurance before entering the real estate business in Blue Springs, where he owned Willsey Realtors. He was president of the Blue Springs Rotary and Blue Springs Industrial Development Group, director of the Bank of Jacomo, Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce, Eastern Jackson County Board of Realtors, and Kansas City Multiple Listing Service. He received the Blue Springs Citizen of the Year award and was named Mr. Blue Springs. He was chairman of the committee to bring a Metropolitan Junior College campus to Blue Springs. Don currently served as a director of the National Bank of Kansas City and was a member of Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral. Don was active throughout his life in sports and was an avid tennis player. He coached his sons' teams as well as YMCA teams and he never missed a practice. He served as a spotter for both radio and television with the Kansas City Chiefs, beginning with their first game in 1963. Don's passion was football.
He is survived by his wife, Sue; and his children, Kelly (Charlie), Phillip, and Joel (Connie); his grandchildren, Adam, Sarah, Connor, Laura and Jackson; his brother, William Dean; and his sister-in- law and brother-in-law, Nancy and Bob Omohundro. Don was a loving, gentle man of courage, honor, strength and faith.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral, 13th and Broadway, followed by a lunch reception in Founders' Hall. Private burial. The family requests no flowers and suggests contributions to St. Luke's Hospice or Grace & Holy Trinity.
Don was born July 13, 1933, in Greenwood, Mo. He grew up in Kansas City, Mo., became an Eagle Scout and was a member of the tribe of Mic-O-Say and DeMolay. Don lettered in basketball and football at Central High School. He graduated from Central Missouri State College in Warrensburg, where he lettered in football, then taught and coached at Higginsville and William Chrisman high schools. He was freshman football coach at the University of South Carolina, served in the Army and sold life insurance before entering the real estate business in Blue Springs, where he owned Willsey Realtors. He was president of the Blue Springs Rotary and Blue Springs Industrial Development Group, director of the Bank of Jacomo, Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce, Eastern Jackson County Board of Realtors, and Kansas City Multiple Listing Service. He received the Blue Springs Citizen of the Year award and was named Mr. Blue Springs. He was chairman of the committee to bring a Metropolitan Junior College campus to Blue Springs. Don currently served as a director of the National Bank of Kansas City and was a member of Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral. Don was active throughout his life in sports and was an avid tennis player. He coached his sons' teams as well as YMCA teams and he never missed a practice. He served as a spotter for both radio and television with the Kansas City Chiefs, beginning with their first game in 1963. Don's passion was football.
He is survived by his wife, Sue; and his children, Kelly (Charlie), Phillip, and Joel (Connie); his grandchildren, Adam, Sarah, Connor, Laura and Jackson; his brother, William Dean; and his sister-in- law and brother-in-law, Nancy and Bob Omohundro. Don was a loving, gentle man of courage, honor, strength and faith.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Donald Willsey, please visit our flower store.