Sue Ann Kline, 62, of Overland Park, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at Olathe Health Hospice House, from complications of Multiple Sclerosis, renal failure and early-onset dementia. She is the daughter of Jim and Jo Ann Kline of Kansas City, Missouri, where she grew up with her older brother Mikel.
Sue Ann attended Hickman Mills High School. She received her Bachelor's in Special Education from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri in 1983; a Master's in Special Education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1987, a Ph.D. in Special Education (behavioral disorders/learning disabilities/autism) from the University of Kansas in 1994; and Postdoctoral studies in Fund Development and Non-Profit Management at University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Sue Ann was a devoted, enthusiastic teacher for 38 years. Her career began in Hume and Belton, Missouri, and Lawrence, Kansas. She served as a Research Assistant at the University of Kansas Medical Center; lectured at University of Missouri-Kansas City; was a Consultant at Crittenton Children's Center in Kansas City; lectured at the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas; a Behavioral/Educational Consultant for Project STAY in Topeka, Kansas; Adjunct Clinical Professor at the University of Kansas; Co-Founder of Building Brighter Futures, a non-profit serving individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in Overland Park, Kansas; an Executive Director of the North Star Foundation; an Executive Director of the Autism/Asperger Resource Center at the University of Kansas. She finished her career as a Special Education Teacher at Eisenhower Elementary School in Fort Leavenworth and with the Lansing Unified School District.
From 1992 to 2004, Sue Ann gave 45 scholarly presentations throughout Kansas, as well as Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Denver and Scottsdale. She was involved in more than 50 in-service presentations to other teachers and authored 17 publications. She was an executive board member, conference chair and president of the Kansas Federation Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and consultant at more than 60 schools, residential centers and Head Start Programs throughout Kansas and Missouri.
Sue Ann lived to help others. She loved people and teaching her "kiddos" and was a tireless advocate for their families.
She had a great fondness for her home, her landscaping and her many cats. She loved to travel, eat out and order in, decorate for any holiday, and shop online for countless useless gadgets. She thought any household dilemma could be remedied with bungee cords or zipper bags. She enjoyed cards and online games. She could not pass up key lime cheesecake, Granny Smith apples, hot peppers, and edamame (which she could never pronounce). She had to be restrained from collecting more teapots and flower frogs. She watched every episode of "Naked and Afraid". She missed dancing but loved all genres of music, but nothing could surpass Barbra Streisand.
In February of this year, she married her partner of 25 years, Mert Walker, at the Johnson County Courthouse. It was one of their happiest days together, shared by close friends.
Sue Ann is survived by her spouse. Mert Walker; her brother Mikel Kline and his wife Nancy of Boynton Beach, Florida; nephew Matthew Kline of Overland Park, Kansas; uncle Warren Schultz of Kansas City, Missouri; first cousins Janice Niles and companion Teresa Decker of Sun City, Arizona; Fred Niles and Patricia of Wichita, Kansas; and Rob Gabbert of St. Joseph, Missouri. She also leaves behind a cadre of close companions including college co-conspirator in adventure, Alison McCallum of Liberty, Missouri; Rosena Baumli; same as sister-in-law, from Raytown, Missouri; long-time devotee Chris Alvey of Ypsilanti, Michigan and Katie Sadler of Smithville, Missouri; co-niece Aly Walker of Cosby, Missouri and Kim Jacobs of Overland Park, Kansas, and constant well-wisher, Lisa Adams-Lau of Leavenworth, Kansas.
Burial will be held Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at 2:00 PM at Mount Moriah Cemetery, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri. A Celebration of Life will be held at her home in the Spring of 2024. Contact [email protected] for further details.
Partager l'avis de décès
v.1.11.3