Wilma (call me “Winnie”) Darlene Axe of Kansas City, Kansas passed away on November 22nd, 2022, at the age of 92. She was born and raised in St. Mary’s, Ohio to Marion and Beatrice Rohrbach. Mom lived a full life and was blessed with great health and independent living until she was over 90 years old. She fought a brave battle with cancer for the last two years and it finally won out in a worldly sense. But Mom received the ultimate victory and now has her new perfect body in a place where all illness, sadness, and death are gone. Mom came to know Jesus as her savior in this world and now she knows him in a glorious way as he shows her what he has prepared for her in glory!!
Mom built a tremendous legacy through her work, her political involvement, her network of friends and acquaintances, but most importantly with her loving sacrificial effort in raising seven kids in a small 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom house. Through her heroic efforts, we all made it to adulthood, some of us more than others. Seriously though, we were so very blessed as a group of siblings to be able to band together and provide the care and support that our dad, Tom, needed at the end of his life and likewise for Mom as she travelled her last journey over the final two years of her life. Her loving, giving, and accepting example of a life well-lived, dedicated to sacrificing for the needs of others, was able to well up from within all of us as we provided the intensive care that she so richly deserved. It was a great honor caring for you, Mom!
Winnie never shied away from hard work, finally retiring at age 84. She worked at a number of places throughout her life including the K.C.Ks. Police Department, K.C.Ks. Fire Department, and the Dignity Memorial Funeral Home. She was even a Walmart greeter at one point! Winnie was highly active in civic and political affairs in Wyandotte County. She was a founding board member of the WYCO Parks & Rec Foundation, the first woman President of the WYCO Park Board, serving two terms, and a member of the board for 28 years. She was a lifelong democrat, even getting to vote in the last midterm election, only 19 days before she passed away. Mom was a precinct committeewoman for over 50 years and served as the Ward Captain for 20 years.
Mom’s greatest joys in life were certainly her kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. She loved to fish, and despite objections from those around her, she stubbornly kept anything over four inches in length. Mom loved playing bridge, dancing, collecting coins, crocheting, and traveling, especially for her annual trip with Dad to Padre Island, Texas.
Mom met Tom, her husband of 65 years, in St. Mary’s, Ohio where they both grew up. Tom preceded her in death in 2014. Also passing on before her were son Kevin (still born), son Mark Axe, daughter Laraine “Tinker” McCray, Tinker’s husband Gary, and sister Lucille Rogers. She is survived by her son Greg (Vicki) Axe, daughter Renee (Dave) Likins, son Keith (Debbie) Axe, son Chris Axe, daughter Colleen (Scott) Loux, daughter-in-law Patty Axe, brothers Ronnie (Janice) Rohrbach, and Gene (Barb) Rohrbach. As part of her great legacy, Mom has 24 grandchildren and 31 great grandchildren.
Visitation will be Saturday, December 10th at 1:00 PM with services starting at 2:00 PM at Chapel Hill Funeral Home, 701 N. 94th St. Kansas City, KS 66112. Contributions can be made to Crest Bible Church, Merriam, Kansas, or the charity of your choice.
We invite all to come and honor Mom’s life here on earth and to celebrate her eternal life now in the presence of Jesus. Mom, we will see you soon enough. Oh, what a blessed hope!!
