Charles Arthur Garney

Charles was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 27, 1931, to the late Arthur and LaFaun (Wheeler) Garney. He married Patricia Ann Sargent on New Year’s Eve in 1966. Together they created a wonderful family and shared a sense of adventure, travel, love, commitment and giving back to their community.

Charles attended Paseo High School and graduated from The University of Kansas School of Business in 1953 where he enjoyed four years as a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Through the ROTC program at KU he then served in the United States Navy as a Lieutenant Junior Grade aboard the USS Hailey from 1953 to 1956. In 1995, he graduated from the Colorado School of Banking. An entrepreneur at heart, he was responsible for the startup and success of 27 companies. His business and philanthropic accomplishments afforded him to be recognized as Missourian of the Year by Governor Mel Carnahan in 1995.

Charles founded Garney Construction Company in 1961. He believed in the pride and power of employee ownership and in 1986 he originated an employee stock ownership program (ESOP) that was one of the first of its kind in the country. He stepped aside as president of Garney Companies, Inc. in 1995. Today, Garney Companies has become a nationally recognized heavy utility contractor in water and wastewater systems exceeding over $2 billion in annual revenue and is 100% employee owned with over 2,400 employees nationwide. Witnessing the lives that were enriched by the ESOP program never stopped bringing him tremendous joy.

After decades of purchasing parcels of land behind the Garney Companies headquarters off of Vivion Road, including an 80-acre abandoned rock quarry, in the late 1980’s Charles began the development of Briarcliff, a 430-acre mixed use development in Clay County, North of the Missouri River. He instigated the project by the completion of a full diamond interchange off Highway 169 at Briarcliff Parkway to be able to access the blighted land. He immensely enjoyed creating a vision of how residential homes, commercial office space, retail, multifamily units and hotels could all coexist on the land for the greater good of the Kansas City community. As he often could be seen hiking the trails that wove through Briarcliff with his dogs George or Casey he personally oversaw every detail: every tree and flower that was planted, every angle of a building that was constructed for the best view of the Kansas City skyline and every ornamental sculpture in an effort to create a beautiful setting for the Briarcliff community. In June 2021, Charles Garney Park and Trails was dedicated in his honor next to the Briarcliff Lake to commemorate his commitment to the city.

Charles had many interests. He was a proficient pilot with over 10,000 hours logged starting off in a single engine Cessna up to Westwind and Lear Jet ratings. He had a huge passion for the cattle industry and enjoyed spending weekends on his black Angus cattle ranch in Grove, Oklahoma, for 25+ years. The ranch coincided with the Shangri-La resort where the family has many fond memories of Easter egg hunts, boat rides and golf and tennis adventures. Anyone that spent even five minutes around him knew that he was an avid Kansas Jayhawks fan. On top of his love for watching KU basketball and football he treasured his years of teaching classes in the business school and was able to help cement his lifelong passion of being a mentor to so many by enhancing the Jayhawk Career Network for current students to be able to connect with mentors of their own for generations to come.

As an enthusiastic golfer, he had the pride of shooting his age at 73 while playing with his dear friends. Charles loved photography, ballroom dancing, meditation, learning about higher powers and the seven steps of consciousness, analyzing people’s handwriting, growing fragrant roses in his rose garden, traveling the country with Patty in their RV, summers in Snowmass, Januaries in Sedona, belly laughing at inappropriate jokes on the golf course, soaking in knowledge by intently listening to other people and teaching his daughters, grandchildren and anyone that would listen that particular decades’ wisdom.

Charles, fondly known as Charlie, is survived by his wife of 58 years, Patty. His six daughters, Dr. Jane Garney, Anne Garney, Sarah Garney, Lynda (Garney) Honea (Dickey), Lisa Garney and Julie (Garney) Andrews (Chris). He has eight grandchildren, Nick (Cara), Kathryn (Andrew), Charlie Mac, Cooper, Beau, Hudson, Connor and Preston. And seven great grandchildren, Isabelle, Adelaide, Eloise, Hannah, Betsy, Levi and Audrey. He will also be missed by his niece Kay Ash, and her significant other Mike Vogt, his nephew Tom Livingston, and other nieces and nephews.

He is proceeded in death by his parents, his sister, Beth Garney; and his half-brother and sister, Edward Garney and Ann (Garney) Livingston.

The family would like to thank North Kansas City Hospital, Three Rivers Hospice, McCrite Plaza at Briarcliff, Dr. James Hall and Dr. Jeffrey Burns for the compassionate care and attention Charles received from them over the past 12 years during his Alzheimer’s journey. Charlie was comfortable at home and well looked after during his final months by an amazing team of caregivers who found him to be funny, loving, feisty and kind all at the same time. A special thanks goes to Hans Leine who was his almost daily companion for the past two years. We couldn’t have made it through without all of you.

Within all of Charles‘ business pursuits and personal interests he was always incorporating the ideals that he valued most. Integrity is the shortest path to success; win-win relationships were always the best option; excellence as a standard; and encourage others to reach their full potential. He lived by the motto that your intentions manifested your reality so keep them altruistic. He was on a continuous spiritual journey for knowledge, constantly reading and sharing what he had learned with others, sometimes whether they wanted to partake in his beliefs or not. Unconditional love was the only way to love. A gentleman in the truest sense of the word; he never knew a stranger. His kindness and wisdom touched and influenced the lives of many people and we are all better for having known him.

Services to honor Charles‘ life will be held on Friday, November 22, at The View Ballroom in the Marriott Courtyard at Briarcliff, 4000 NW Mulberry Drive, Kansas City, MO 64116. The visitation is from 1:30 to 3:00 PM; the memorial service is at 3:00 PM; and the celebration of life will follow through 7:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to KU Endowment, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., Mail Stop 3012, Kansas City, KS 66160, to benefit the Charles A. Garney Alzheimer's Opportunity Fund. Online contributions may be made at www.kuendowment.org/give. Please indicate that donations are in memory of Charles Garney.