Therese Noreen Wilkes

Therese Noreen Wilkes, 88, Overland Park, KS passed away Thursday, Jan.15, 2015. Visitation will be held at 9:30am on Wednesday, January 21 with Mass at 10:30am at Queen of the Holy Rosary Church, 7023 W. 71st St, Overland Park, KS. Burial will be at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa, KS immediately following Mass.

Therese was born January 29, 1926 in Kansas City, MO to James and Nellie (Stack) Higgins. She was the youngest of their five children: Rev. James Higgins CSSR, Sr. Margaret Higgins CSJ, Mary Catherine Montavy, and Nellie Hasemeier. Therese attended Redemptorist Grade School and High School, Donnelly College, and received her BA from Avila University. She married her high school sweetheart, Thomas Ralph Wilkes, on August 31, 1946. They enjoyed 67 years of marriage until Tom’s death in 2013. For the past several years, Therese has been a resident of the Centerpointe Care Center at Lakeview Village.

Therese was a homemaker and also worked as a sales clerk for Harzfelds at Corinth Square. She loved family and enjoyed organizing family gatherings to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and especially holidays. Therese enjoyed singing and dancing, often doing both with a close circle of friends from grade school and high school that met regularly in each others homes. As a member of the Queen of Holy Rosary parish since 1950 Therese served in many parish ministries including St. Cecilia Circle, RCIA sponsor, the Prayer Chain, Funeral Choir, funeral dinner service, St. Patrick’s Day Dance, St. Mary’s Food Kitchen, Parish Council and Women’s Altar society. She also volunteered at the parish school as a mentor, storybook lady, library aide, Cub Scout Den leader, and Girl Scout leader. She especially enjoyed volunteering for Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas. Therese enjoyed traveling with her husband Tom and family. When Tom retired, they took trips to Ireland, Italy, and New England. Estes Park, CO was a favorite and frequent destination of their travels. Spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren was her greatest joy.

She is survived by her son Anthony and wife Mary Ann, her daughter Peggy Anderson and husband Fred, her daughter Ellen Simon and husband Mark, her son Tom and wife Joan, 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in Therese’s memory to Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, 9720 W. 87th St., Overland Park, KS 66212.