Jane Anne Cook Kealing

Memorial Mass for Jane Anne Cook Kealing of Prairie Village will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 9, 2025, at Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood. The family will receive visitors before the mass at Curé starting at 9:30. A lunch will be held for family and friends after mass, with burial at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa after lunch.

Mrs. Kealing died Sunday, June 1, 2025, after a brief illness.

She was born Dec. 1, 1929 in Whitinsville, Massachusetts, to Edward C. Cook and Jane Ryan Cook, the second of three children.

Mrs. Kealing grew up in Endicott, New York and recalled that her childhood was happy and carefree. She remembered feeling fortunate that she was able to live such a life during the Great Depression and World War II.

She graduated from Union-Endicott High School where she was runner up as prom queen and was one of only a few of her classmates to go on to college. Known to her friends in those days as “Cookie,” she attended the State University of New York at Albany, where she studied to become a speech therapist. She later pursued a master’s degree in speech therapy at Queens College in New York City. Upon graduating from SUNY-Albany, she went to work as a market researcher for the Procter & Gamble company, a job that allowed her to travel to various cities across the US. The job eventually took her to Cincinnati, where she met an Indiana law student who was doing a summer internship there.

Mrs. Kealing married James L. Kealing on Dec. 27, 1954 in Binghamton, New York. He preceded her in death after nearly 48 years of marriage. Together they had six children, 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

The couple lived briefly in Detroit after being married, before moving to Kansas City. There, she managed the family, worked at various times for the U.S. Census Bureau, the Internal Revenue Service, a bank and Hall’s Back Room. In addition, she ferried her children to countless engagements, sporting events and activities, volunteered at their schools and for her church of many decades, Curé of Ars.

Mrs. Kealing volunteered throughout her life. She cherished her time running the Little Store and helping young patients as part of the Marillac Auxiliary, where she served at various times as second vice president and treasurer. Later, she volunteered at TurnStyles for Catholic Charities. She was also an avid bridge player, regularly maintaining two or three bridge groups that met regularly for many years.

In her later years, she moved to The Forum in Overland Park, where she played bingo and enjoyed spending time with several of the friends she made through her years.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, her brother and her sister.

Survivors include her six children: Jim Kealing and wife Brenda (Meridian, Idaho) Karen Negiar and husband Didier (Le Vesinet, France), Jeffrey Kealing and wife Shelly (Palm Springs, Calif.), John Kealing and wife Debby (Chesterfield, Mo.), Kay Kealing (Mission, Kan.) and Bob Kealing and wife Karen (Longwood, Fla.).

She’s also survived by her 11 grandchildren: Jonathan Kealing and wife Anne (Minneapolis, Minn.), Laure Negiar Dufetelle and husband Edourad (Paris, France), Julie-Anne Negiar (London, United Kingdom), Justin Kealing and wife Hilary (Grain Valley, Mo.), Edouard Negiar, Jenna Gullett (St. Louis, Mo.), Claire Negiar (San Francisco, Calif.), Jill Kealing (St. Louis, Mo.), Katharine Kealing (Meridian, Idaho), William Kealing (Longwood, Fla.) and Kristin Kealing (Longwood, Fla.).

She’s also survived by her 10 great-grandchildren: Jordyn, Ava, Max, Brianna, William, Emily, Finn, Sawyer, Thomas and Adeline.

Other survivors include numerous Cook and Ryan family cousins, nieces and nephews across the US.

Mrs. Kealing loved and supported her family and her friends and will be missed by all who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas.https://catholiccharitiesks.org/donate/