Lillian Marie Reichart

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of our wife, mother, and grandmother, Lillian Marie Reichart, who died on January 3, 2025, at her home following several months of loving care by her husband Frank, who rarely left her side, and her children and grandchildren. In 2024, further care was provided by Phoenix Health and Hospice Care. She was cherished by many and has left behind a legacy of kindness and strength.  

Lillian Marie Reichart was born in Akron, Ohio, on February 23, 1937, to Paul and Dortha Ries. She graduated from South High School and then attended Marion College (now Indiana Wesleyan University) for one year before returning to Akron. During this time, she worked for several years in the office of Firestone Tire and Rubber in their Voucher Department as a typist and attended Akron University, putting herself through college to earn a degree in education and graduating in 1962. The year before this, Lillian’s sister introduced her to Francis Reichart, a seminary student from Kansas who was studying in Naperville, Illinois. Also in 1962, Frank graduated from seminary, and they married in June. Frank’s first position took them to Concordia, Kansas, where they spent three years and started their family. Lillian was able to complete a long-term substitute teaching assignment her first year there and then became a mother to her first two children, Diane and John. The family then moved to Pittsburgh, Kansas, for two years, and Highland, Kansas, for thirteen years. While at Highland, Lillian was able to begin her teaching career at Hiawatha Grade School and then Highland Grade School. At this time, Lillian was blessed with one more child, David, who like her first two children were born on a Sunday (fitting for the children of a minister). In 1980, the family moved to Overland Park, Kansas, where Lillian continued her teaching career at Leawood Elementary. She earned a Master of Liberal Arts degree from Baker University in 1987 and retired in 1998 after 29 years in education.  

Lillian taught 1st, 2nd, and 4th grades, but spent most of her career teaching 4th grade, finding that age exciting to teach. Lillian came from a family of educators — including her mother, an aunt, an uncle, a sister, and a cousin — and continued that tradition by passing on the teaching bug to her three children and a granddaughter, all high school teachers in the Blue Valley and Shawnee Mission school districts. She loved teaching and was well respected by her colleagues, chosen as Teacher of the Year by her peers at Leawood Elementary. Another highlight of her years at Leawood was a trip to Washington, DC, with her principal to accept a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award for their school. In 1990, Lillian was one of four recipients of the AIA/KC Education Award for a co-curricular (with the art teacher) integration of architecture as part of her 4th grade social studies curriculum.  

She was active in her church and her Pathfinders Sunday school class at Old Mission United Methodist in Fairway, Kansas. She and Frank enjoyed trips with a group of friends from their class after her retirement, visiting several European countries, including Hungary, Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, and Italy, and taking a river cruise in France. She was also active in PEO and her book club. She enjoyed for many years getting together with a close group of former colleagues from Leawood Elementary, seeing old friends and church members from Highland, and keeping in touch with her childhood friends in Akron. For many years, she enjoyed returning to Akron once a year with family members to celebrate her dear Uncle Heber’s birthday. In her free time, she enjoyed reading, doing jigsaw puzzles, watching sports (as a child she was a Cleveland Indians fan), and spending time with her granddaughters.  

Lillian is survived by her husband Frank Reichart; her sons John Reichart and David Reichart; her daughter Diane and husband Bob Morris, and their daughters Monica and Rachel; and her sister Carol and husband George Merchant of Maryland; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

To commemorate and celebrate her wonderful life and spirit, a visitation will be held on Friday, January 10 from 5:00–7:00 at Johnson County Funeral Chapel and Memorial Gardens at 11200 Metcalf Avenue, and her service will be held at Old Mission United Methodist Church in Fairway, Kansas, at 11:00 with a visitation before at 10:00 on Saturday, January 11.  

If you want to donate in Lillian’s honor, you may donate to Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri, in honor of her PEO membership, or to Old Mission United Methodist Church of Fairway, Kansas.