Mary Kathryn McNeive (“Mary Kay,” “Mary”) died July 27, 2026, at Kansas City Hospice House in Kansas City, Missouri at age 84.  Born and raised in Great Bend, Kansas, she lived a full life of caring for others and sharing joy and her love of people and the natural and spiritual world.   

She was an elementary school teacher in Kansas and Missouri and a social worker serving those with mental illness at Western Missouri Mental Health Center and later the patients and families of Kansas City Hospice, where she provided in-home assistance for families during the AIDS epidemic, oversaw the work of the chaplains, social workers, art and music therapists and grief support staff and developed weekend camp experiences for children grieving the loss of a significant loved one. She also worked with Johnson County Kansas Mental Health Association to advance the delivery of mental health services to that community and launched her own private practice as a therapist for several years before retiring.

An athletic youngster, Mary Kay loved bicycling, roller skating, tennis and swimming and bragged that she could outrun all the boys. She drew strength and inspiration from nature and loved vacations in the Colorado Rocky Mountains or at any seashore.  In Kansas City she enjoyed long walks at Powell Gardens and frequent visits to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and to any place where she could listen to classical music or Kansas City jazz. She served as a foster parent for a time, and volunteered at Literacy KC and with a consumer advocacy program.

Mary graduated from Immaculate Conception High School in Great Bend and Sacred Heart (now Kansas Newman) College in Wichita and earned her Masters in Social Work at the University of Kansas. She joined the Dominican Sisters in Great Bend at age 16 and, although she left religious vows around age 30, her lifelong spiritual journey continued as she probed many faith traditions, always seeking a deeper understanding of the Universe. She continued as an active member of the Associates of the Dominican Sisters of Peace throughout her life.

She was ready to travel any time and enjoyed exploring Europe, Ireland, Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica and much of the United States with family and dear friends. Even during her last year, she was reading many books and enrolling in ongoing education classes through the SPARK program at UMKC.  Always passionate about protecting our natural environment, Mary Kay sought to “live lightly upon the earth.”

As a resident in independent living at St. Anthony’s Senior Living since 2023, she took up art classes and enjoyed in-house sports and card game competitions and socializing in the pub for Kansas City Chiefs games and Royals baseball, while forming friendships with her new neighbors.

Mary Kay’s circle of friends is wide and deep, and their support during her last weeks of life is a beautiful legacy, reflecting her own devotion to them over many years. Her friends and family will remember her and honor her memory through their ongoing care for one another.

She is survived by her brother Michael of Hollywood FL, her sister Lynda of Denver CO, her nephew Paul McNeive Hornbrook of Denver, niece Frances McNeive Andrus of Sausalito CA, numerous cousins and a host of beloved friends. Predeceased by her sister Margaret McNeive Gibson of Beaufort SC and her brother Patrick of Santa Monica CA.

A memorial service will be scheduled later and her ashes will be housed in the columbarium at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Kansas City MO.  In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to the church, to the Dominican Sisters of Peace www.oppeace.org, to Kansas City Hospice, to Literacy KC or to a charity of your choice.