February 11, 1937 - May 18, 2019

Nancy Dunne O’Farrell, 82, of Prairie Village, KS, passed away on May 18, 2019.  She spent her final day surrounded by family.  A memorial service will be held for Nancy at 3pm on Thursday, May 30, at Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Rd.  A reception will follow at the home of Courtney and Patrick O’Farrell.

Nancy was born on February 11, 1937, in Wichita, KS, to Darcy Edgar Dunne, Jr. and Elizabeth Testard Dunne.  She was the youngest of four beloved Dunne siblings:  Darcy Edgar, III (“Sonny”), Betty Marie (“Sis”), and Charles Robert (“Bob”).

Nancy married Thomas P. O’Farrell on June 6, 1959 in the back yard of her family’s home in Wichita.  They raised their family in the Kansas City area.  Together, they had four children: Anne, Tom, Amy, and Patrick.  Nancy did most of the day-to-day raising while allowing Tom to build a thriving surgical practice.  That all four of her children reside in the Kansas City area today says much for the strength of the family bond she helped to create.

Nancy was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority at the University of Kansas (following the legacy of her mother and sister).  She volunteered for many years with true dedication to the Pi Beta Phi Educational Foundation.   She was a member of the Junior League of Kansas City, KS for many years and contributed to city philanthropies in various ways, the most memorable of which were her entertaining co-starring roles in community plays. 

Nancy is remembered for her beautiful smile and her open, upbeat friendliness with everyone she came across.  She would often say to her children, “Be nice to everyone” and “We are all God’s creatures”.  She and Tom were especially gregarious people and greatly valued their many friendships across the country.  They both loved the game of golf, and many of Nancy's cherished friendships stemmed from the golf course, a place she loved not only for the fun of the game, but for the beauty of its natural surroundings.

Nancy loved to read anything and everything.  She was in book clubs her entire adult life.  If you asked if she’d read it, she probably had.  She was a daily reader of the KC Star and the Wall Street Journal, and a crossword puzzle expert.  She was up on the latest political happenings to her final day.  She had regular card groups, investment club, golf pals, tournaments, movie nights, Monday night dinners with friends, and weekend dinner outings.  And of course, Sunday Night Dinners with the family.

Nancy was a lover of art, music, reading, theater, movies, golf, gardening, all creatures great and small, sunsets, night skies, Kansas, the Jayhawks, her country, history, conservatism, liberty, independence, night-time radio, good humor, good food, good wine, 5 o’clock, and of course, friends and family.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Tom O’Farrell; her parents, Ed and Betty Dunne; her brother, Sonny; and countless friends with whom she has now happily reconnected.  She is survived by her four children:  Anne (Ward) Russell; Tom O’Farrell; Amy (Jim) Sullivan; and Pat (Courtney) O’Farrell; her nine grandchildren: Maggie and Charlie Russell; Patrick, Darcy, and Mary Sullivan; and Edgar, Patrick, John, and James O’Farrell; her sister Betty (Gene) Nelson; her brother Bob (Sara) Dunne; and many loved nieces and nephews and their families.

The family would like to thank the countless doctors, nurses, and staff of the University of Kansas Health System, most notably, Dr. Carnie Nulton, who helped her navigate the most difficult of health decisions.  The family would also like to thank the many, many friends and family members who filled Nancy’s heart with love throughout her good life. 

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests an anonymous heartfelt good deed or donation in Nancy’s memory.