After a legal career spanning more than 50 years, and a lifetime of nearly 80 years, the Honorable Patrick Daly McAnany left us on September 4, 2023 after battling leukemia. His unexpected death was heartbreaking to his wife and family who must go on without him. He was loved and respected by many, and he will always be remembered.
Patrick McAnany was born in Sweetwater, Texas on November 18, 1943 and comes from the large clan of Shawnee, Kansas McAnanys. He was the son and grandson of lawyers, and father to a fourth-generation lawyer practicing in Colorado and Utah. He never seriously considered any career path other than law school and legal work. He graduated from Rockhurst University with a degree in Philosophy and received his J.D. and L.L.M. in Business Litigation from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. While attending law school, he began working at the law firm where his father, Patrick Bevan McAnany, practiced and which was founded in 1901 by his grandfather Edwin Sebastian McAnany (who was admitted to the Kansas Bar as an attorney in 1899).
Current and former colleagues, staff, and law partners as well as family, friends, and many lawyers who have tried cases with, against, and before Pat McAnany have praised his dedication and service to Johnson County and the people of Kansas.
After a short stint with a litigation firm in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1969 Pat moved to Mobil Oil Corporation as an assistant division attorney and antitrust counsel. In 1970, he was promoted to the New York corporate offices, and he and his family moved to White Plains, New York. His new job took him often to Washington, D.C. and across the country. It was challenging and cutting-edge work. In 1973, Pat and his family moved back to Kansas City. They lived in Prairie Village, Kansas, and he joined the McAnany, Van Cleave & Phillips law firm.
Pat's years in private practice were filled with cases to be tried, a firm to help lead and expand, new technology to embrace, and young lawyers to mentor. One of his partners nicknamed him the “Irish Tornado” for his energy and enthusiasm for the practice of law.
He handled a heavy load of civil and other cases, and in 1991-1992 participated in what was then the longest civil jury trial in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. For 9 months, the top 2 floors of the Topeka Ramada Inn was a fully functioning law firm and dorm for him, 3 other attorneys, and staff.
While in private practice he was also involved in legal and community organizations including service as president of the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce and on the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission.
Pat McAnany was appointed by Gov. Bill Graves to the Johnson County District Court in 1995 and was assign as a juvenile court judge. He implemented a dress code in his courtroom to help young people treat their moment in court with seriousness and respect. He also started the “Changing Lives Through Literature” reading program that required juvenile offenders to read a book and provide a book report at the next hearing on their case. The program eventually morphed into one for adult offenders, introducing them to new ideas and the world of literature. This innovative program continues today in Johnson County.
He later moved to trying civil cases in Johnson County. While on this court, he served two terms as Chief Judge of the 10th Judicial District, directing the administrative side of the court and introducing judicial performance standards that are still in place. He promoted the development of the Judicial Academy program for paralegal students at Johnson County Community College. He taught workshops in trial advocacy at the University of Kansas School of Law and was a judge for the trial practice program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. He was also a member of the executive and legislative committees for the Kansas District Judges Association.
In 2004, Pat McAnany was appointed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to the Kansas Court of Appeals. He authored appellate opinions on a variety of subjects and was also asked to hear cases with the Kansas Supreme Court on several occasions. He had a scholarly approach to preparation, research, and opinion writing for all cases he was appointed to hear. In 2010, the Kansas Supreme Court asked Pat to chair the Blue Ribbon Commission which was created to find improvements in the way the courts serve the people of Kansas. Throughout his career, Pat was dedicated to the advancement of the practice of law and to a renewal of the court system. He brought this dedication to his role as chairman of the 24-member commission. Its work included public hearings and fact-finding across the state in every county. The final report was presented to the governor and outlined state-wide improvements to the court system that would better serve the people of Kansas.
Pat McAnany's list of activities, awards, and achievements is long and varied. He was an educator for legal continuing education at the Kansas Bar Association annual meetings. He taught business law at Rockhurst University and trial advocacy at the University of Kansas School of Law. He served on the executive committee of the Kansas District Court Judges Association; as a member and president of the Earl E. O'Connor American Inns of Court; and was a Science and Technology Fellow for the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (ASTR). He received a Certificate of Special Commendation from the Johnson County, Kansas Board of Commissioners for his dedication and service to the county. And he received the Liberty Bell Award from the Topeka Bar Association; the Kansas Bar Association's Phil Lewis Medal of Distinction; the Chief Justice Richard W. Holmes Award of Merit of the American Judges Association; and the Johnson County Bar Foundation Legacy Award.
But more than a lawyer and judge, Pat was a renaissance man. He studied classical guitar (which he used to successfully woo his wife) and played guitar with her as a folk music duo in the 1960s. He picked up the violin at age 52, took weekly lessons for more than 20 years, and played in the second violin section of the Overland Park Orchestra. He played rhythm guitar and bass for 25 years with “The Counselors”, a rock band of mostly attorneys that started in the 1960s. The Counselors played gigs all over Kansas City throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s. He played in an R&B and jazz trio. And when he and his family had a trip planned to Hawaii, he decided to pick up the ukulele and started playing it with ease. He loved classical Spanish guitar music, 20th century French composers, Bill Evans and ‘60s jazz innovation, and Steely Dan among many other music genres. For decades, he was a season ticket holder and supporter of Friends of Chamber Music, Kansas City Symphony, Lyric Opera, and The Kansas City Repertory Theater. He also worked with a volunteer group that provided opera performances to school children.
He was an avid reader for both knowledge and entertainment, belonging to a book club for many years and taking multiple magazine subscriptions. His last books were Sapiens and a re-read of The Blind Assassin.
He was a car buff and followed Formula 1 Racing. He loved convertibles and was seen driving with the top down year round. He fulfilled what was his 17-year-old self’s dream of owning a Porsche by having a 1967 Porsche Speedster built from the ground up with original 1967 parts from around the world. The silver car with red leather interior is named “Speedie”.
Pat enjoyed building projects, all types of technology, and was an amateur architect. He was never afraid of any new task or hesitant to tackle any project. He designed and had help building an Irish stone cottage on a farm in LaCygne, Kansas, doing much of the work himself including choosing all rocks for the walls, laying and staining wood floors, making a four-poster bed, hanging wallpaper, and even sewing the curtains. He designed and created elements in his home that reflected his distinct aesthetic, good taste, and playfulness, something his family cherished.
Pat was a photographer and videographer. He enjoyed digital video editing of every vacation and each milestone of his family’s lives. He was an excellent storyteller and spent hundreds of hours painstakingly editing movies to share with his friends and family, complete with a carefully selected soundtrack. And he was a life-long gardener. He was always up for a “garden tour” to pull weeds and see what’s in bloom. Pat spent hours harvesting and sorting seeds, and sharing them with his family. He loved to work the soil and maintain beautiful flowerbeds.
He loved to travel. He spent his childhood summers in the mountains above Green Mountain Falls, Colorado, and made frequent trips to Colorado his entire life. His love of the Rockies was apparent as he could name every mountain range upon sight. He and his wife enjoyed river cruises in Europe and driving trips through Ireland and New Zealand. Barcelona was at the top of his list of favorite cities.
His friends were important to Pat. He was a member of the same book club for 25 years. He loved a good conversation and lively give-and-take. He cared deeply about his professional relationships and sometimes felt judges and lawyers were becoming too monastic and separated by technology and culture. He supported many women in the legal profession and relished their successes throughout the years. He was considered a great boss to women and men who worked for and with him. He was an early feminist and lived in an equal partnership with his wife throughout their marriage. He supported social justice causes and giving back to his greater community.
But most of all, Pat loved his family. His wife, son, and daughter were so important to him. He relished the role of grandfather to his four grandchildren. He doted over grand-babies and celebrated each of their accomplishments as they grew into teenagers and young adults.
After 24 years on the bench, Pat “retired” in January 2019. He went on to serve as a member of the Judicial Ethics Advisory Panel, and in typical fashion, continued to work almost full time as a Senior Judge for the Kansas Supreme Court and Kansas Court of Appeals.
Pat McAnany finally retired on July 1, 2023 and was looking forward to traveling and spending time with family and friends. He fought hard, but his time with us was cut short way too soon. He will be deeply and profoundly missed every day.
To my beloved Patrick: “He was my North, my South, my East and West. My working week and my Sunday rest. My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song. I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.” W.H. Aude
Pat was preceded in death by his mother, Monica Daly McAnany and father, Patrick Bevan McAnany. Pat leaves behind his wife of 60 years, Patricia “Pinky” Loftus McAnany of Overland Park KS; his children Chris (Michelle) McAnany of Grand Junction CO, and Lindsay (Dustin Summers) McAnany of Kansas City MO; grandchildren Sean McAnany, Parker Summers, Addison Summers, and Grace McAnany; sisters Betsy (Clifford) Alexander of Alexandria VA, Jane (Marc) Jacobson of Tucson AZ, Sarah (Paul) Cline of Roeland Park KS, Martha (Kurt) Sumrall of Mission KS, and Paula (Bob) Link of Miramar Beach FL; sister-in-law Mary Loftus (Gerry) O’Neill; 18 nieces and nephews and their spouses; 19 grand-nieces and -nephews; dozens of first- and second-cousins; and a multitude of McAnanys and Dalys spread across the Kansas City area and throughout the U.S. and Canada.
A Celebration of Life and party in Pat's honor will take place on November 18, 2023.
Persons wishing to make a memorial gift, please consider supporting:
The Honorable Patrick D. McAnany, '65, Nursing Scholarship at Rockhurst University, 1100 Rockhurst Rd, Kansas City, MO 64110. 816-501-4537;
The Judge Patrick D. McAnany Law Scholarship at the Kansas Bar Foundation, 1200 SW Harrison St, Topeka KS 66612. 785-234-5696.
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