Mary Helen Van Dyke

Maryhelen McGraw VanDyke passed away on August 14, 2010. She leaves behind her loving husband of 66 years of marriage, Joseph, and her four children and their spouses, Mary Jayneen and Alan Ross, Michael and Karen VanDyke, James and Peggy VanDyke, and Joane and Bryan Wilkerson; fifteen grandchildren, Amy (Douglas) Radtke, Mark (Laura) Ross, Kristen (James) O’Connor, Shannon (Nicholas) Perrino, Kevin (Meghan) VanDyke, Lauren VanDyke, Cory VanDyke, Ryan VanDyke, Joseph (Kate) VanDyke, Elizabeth VanDyke, James VanDyke, Allison Wilkerson, Molly Wilkerson, Megan Wilkerson, and Timothy Wilkerson; and eleven great grandchildren, Kyle Radtke, Alex Radtke, and Mallory Radtke, Caroline O’Connor, Megan O’Connor, Lucy O’Connor, Jake Perrino, Allison Perrino, Emilia Ross, Ryan Ross, and Mary Jane VanDyke.

Maryhelen was predeceased by her parents, Wilferd and Ada Caldwell McGraw, and her four siblings, Bill McGraw, Bette Anne Hicks, Joan Schneck, and Pat Worland. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Gert McGraw, and her brothers-in-law, Bill Schneck and Bill Worland.

Maryhelen’s energy, dedication, and leadership were recognized through volunteer work at her children’s schools and in the nonprofit community. She received the Rockhurst High School “mother of the year” award in 1968, served as President of the school’s mothers club, and started “Sale-o-Rama” in 1971. In addition to her volunteer work at Rockhurst, she also served as President of the St. Teresa’s Academy mothers club, President of the University of Notre Dame Auxiliary, and in 1977 became the first woman to receive the Auxiliary’s Father Theodore Hesburgh Award.

Maryhelen, with the help of her many wonderful friends, became the founding President of the St. Joseph Health Center Auxiliary in 1976. From 1979 to 1984 she served as the first female lay member of the St. Joseph board of directors. She later served on the board of the St. Joseph Health Center Foundation from 1984 to 1991, and on the board of Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph from 1980 to 1990. She received an honorary doctorate from Avila University in 1980, and in 1983 became a Lady of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. In 1991 she received the Bishop Sullivan Award for her contribution to the mission of Catholic Charities and its related social ministries in the diocese.

Maryhelen’s desire to do volunteer work was second only to her love of being a wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She loved family holidays, grandparent’s days, graduations, weddings and all other events that brought together her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Some of her last words were “I’ve had a wonderful life – no regrets. My wonderful Joe worked so hard to allow me to do what I did, and my friends made success possible. God was so good to me. What I ask of my family is that they thank God everyday for all the blessings he has given us.”

A rosary will be said beginning at 5:30 P.M. on Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at Saint Thomas More Church located at 11822 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri with visitation thereafter until 8:30 P.M. The funeral mass will be on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 1:00 P.M. at Saint Thomas More Church with a reception to follow in the church hall.

Members of the family would also like to thank all of Maryhelen’s wonderful friends at St. Joseph Health Center, Ladies of Charity and the Meals on Wheels program, in addition to the charities listed above, she loved all of you so much. Ladies of Charity will also have a special rosary prior to the funeral mass at 12:30 p.m., on Wednesday, August 18th. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the VanDyke Family Scholarship Fund at Rockhurst High School, the St. Joseph Hospital Foundation, or a charity of your choice.