Martha Jean (Kolich) McCarthy

Jean was born August 4, 1933 in Ward, Arkansas to Harold Alfred and Esther Emmaline (Smith) Boldt. She and older sister, Dorothy Ruth, attended public schools in Ward, Arkansas; Rockville, Maryland; and Kansas City, Kansas where they graduated from Wyandotte High School.

She married Richard Donald Kolich in June of 1956. Together they had three children, Richard John, Martha Dianne, and Mary Ann. They built a small business distributing hydraulic parts and then a printing company until Richard’s death in August of 1981. Jean then dissolved the company and was employed by Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas in the Development Department.

Jean married William C. McCarthy of Bartlesville, Oklahoma in 1988. Together they traveled the world extensively and spent time with family and friends at their vacation home located at Grand Lakes o’ the Cherokees, Oklahoma. They volunteered with Friends of the Park and with First Presbyterian Church, where they were long time members. They moved to Lawrence, Kansas in April of 2012 to be near Jean’s oldest daughter, Martha. After Bill’s death in January 2014, Jean remained in Lawrence until April of 2019, when she moved to Indiana to be near her youngest daughter, Mary Ann and son-in-law, Kelly. Upon Kelly’s retirement they all moved together to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. Jean had then made a full circle back to near the place of her birth.

Jean was a woman of deep faith. She often shared her experience of having gone down to the alter call at the little country church, receiving Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, at the young age of four. The family has great comfort that she is in Heaven surrounded by loved ones that have passed before her to our Heavenly Father. Dementia stole her memory but her strength, sense of humor and Faith held fast.

Jean is survived by her son Richard John Kolich of Shawnee, Kansas; loving daughters Martha Dianne Kolich of Lawrence, Kansas; Mary Ann (Kelly) Hale of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas; and nephew Gregory Alan (Wendy) McCarthy of Bend, Oregon and niece Beverly Jean Smith of Sioux City, Iowa.

Graveside service will be held Saturday, May 6th 2023 at 11:00 AM at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens 701 N. 94th Street, Kansas City, Kansas 66112. Memorial contributions can be made to Donnelly College, Kansas City, Kansas in the name of Jean Kolich McCarthy.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.chapelhill-butler.com for the McCarthy family.