Vaughn James Hemry Jr.

Jim Hemry, 81, lifetime resident of the area, died Sunday, at Garden Terrace where he lived since 2000. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the only child of Edna Rogers and Vaughn Hemry, deceased. Jim graduated from Northeast High School in 1946 where he competed in swimming and the Printers Club. He enlisted immediately after graduation and served as Yeoman Third Class in the Navy, where he served on the destroyer U.S.S. Collett. After returning from the Navy he married Claudine Thomas on August 19, 1949 and they had three children, Mark Thomas Hemry and Collett Marie (Stump) Hemry, both of Sebastopol, California, and Brett Allan Hemry, Kansas City, Kansas. Jim graduated from the UMKC School of Pharmacy and went on to be co-owner of several pharmacies in the area: Ridgewood Rx on Blue Ridge Blvd., the Shawnee Mission Rx in Mission, Kansas and the Olathe Rx in Olathe, Kansas. His business interests, other than the Pharmacies, were in procuring properties for investment, rental and resale. He was a member of DeMolay followed by the Masonic Lodge and the Shrine. Jim was an avid boater, water skier and with his love of motorcycles participated in off-road excursions and moto-cross competitions with his son, Brett. He leaves, in addition to his children, three grandchildren Nicholas James Hemry Stump, Douglas Jared Stump and Francine Marie Hemry. Visitation with family and celebration of life will be held Thursday, March 25, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Mt. Moriah & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Rd., Kansas City, Missouri. Interment will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, March 26, at Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville, Missouri. Jim struggled with the effects of Alzheimer’s disease for over 10 years. The family suggests memorials, in his name, to the Alzheimer’s Association, 3946 West 75th Street, Prairie Village, Kansas 66208. Arrangements under the direction of Mount Moriah & Freeman Funeral Home, Kansas City, MO.