Michael John Peppard

Although difficult to condense a life into a few paragraphs, Michael John Peppard knew how to cut to the quick of a situation. He got a call that he had to take on Wednesday morning. An opportunity arose to join loved ones who went before, to laugh and to tell long stories.

Our brother, friend, husband, father, and grandfather was born on April 3, 1947. He was a great big brother to Jackie and Kevin. Mike loved to play sports, was a national honors student, and really an all-around guy. He attended Our Lady of Good Counsel grade school and Rockhurst and Bishop Lillis High Schools; in 1965 his Lillis football team was number one in the KC Metro area. Mike earned a football scholarship to K-State, met and married Kathleen Hogerty, had Jennifer and Michael II, and graduated from UMKC. Football never left him; he coached Mikey’s St. Thomas More football team and continued to coach there for the next 15 years.

Dad spent his mid-life years as the proprietor of the one and only Bigger Jigger on Troost, an establishment of local Irish lore. He was at home behind the bar, regaling to all who would listen with his tales and views. Here he developed a second family of lifelong friends. Dad loved to play golf on Sundays with his buds. He told the best stories and was the best friend you could know.

After surviving cancer and open-heart surgery, his grandkids gave him a renewed purpose.

Poppy doted on his grandchildren and attended all his grandkids’ school and sporting events. At 8:00 in the morning or under the lights, basketball or soccer games, he was there, cheering on Ayla and Aidan’s victories and consoling them in their losses.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Mary Louise Miller Schinze and Jack Peppard; his

in-laws Lillian and Dan Hogerty; brothers in-law Dennis Hogerty and Cy Perkins; and nephew David Hogerty.

Mike is survived by his wife Kathy, children Michael and Jennifer (Craig Napier), grandchildren Aidan and Ayla; sisters Jackie (Doug) Bailey and Lori (Jim) Evans; brothers Kevin (Gail) Schinze, Mark (Andrea) Peppard, and Scott (Kerry) Peppard, and many loved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

In light of the current pandemic, there will be a family mass to be announced. There will be a celebration of Mike’s life a year from now in May 2021. Please check the website Mikepeppard.com for more information.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer's Association in honor of brother in-law Dennis Hogerty (act.alz.org/goto/HogertyCrew ).