Wanda Lee Kinnamon

Wanda Lee Hill Kinnamon, 94, departed this world to be with her Savior Jesus Christ on Jan. 29, 2024 at St. Luke’s East Hospital, Lee’s Summit. She had suffered a fall on Jan. 23 and was in St. Luke’s East Hospital recovering from hip and arm injuries. She died of heart complications.

Wanda was born May 13, 1929, to Grace and Rudolph Hill in Cherryvale, KS. Her parents divorced early in her life. She was raised on a farm outside El Dorado Springs, with love and support from her mother, Grace, her grandmother, Lizzie, and her uncle, Harley. They moved to the City of El Dorado Springs when she was a young pre-teen. Grace remarried to Raymond Debler, and he became a wonderful husband and father. He was a construction worker, and they traveled and lived around the country, but, mostly, they were citizens of El Dorado Springs.

Wanda married very early in her young life to Ted Jones. They had one daughter, Kay Lynn. After the divorce, Wanda married John (Jack) Kinnamon. They had a son, Jackie Ray. The family was complete. Jack was a wonderful husband and father for Kay and Jackie. Wanda spent most of her time being a wife, mother and daughter. Wanda and her mother, Grace, were the best of all friends and loved ones. They loved being together. They were a dynamic duo of love and companionship whether they were cooking or shopping. After Raymond passed away, Wanda and Jack moved in with Grace for 14 years. Wanda did work occasionally outside the home for several years at the shoe factory and the shirt factory. Wanda loved taking care of her family. She loved watching all the activities of her children and, later, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She spent many years working in the nursery of the First Baptist Church. She didn’t join many clubs or organizations, but her one outside activity that she loved was the Thursday bowling league. She also loved to cook. There was always a fresh dessert when the kids got home from school. Her chocolate cake and pecan pie were specialties along with her homemade noodles.

After her mother and husband went into nursing homes due to ill health, Wanda moved to Lee’s Summit to live with her daughter, Kay, and her husband, Bob. Those 17 years were happy years for her. She missed her mother and her husband but visited them as often as possible. She enjoyed being with her daughter’s family and getting to visit with her grown grandkids and the great-grandkids. She had some health issues, but, overall, she was mostly active until her last week.

Wanda was preceded in death by her mother, Grace; father, Rudolph Hill; stepfather, Raymond Debler; husband, Jack Kinnamon; and son, Jackie Kinnamon.

She leaves her daughter, Kay Rethemeyer and husband, Robert – Lee’s Summit; granddaughter, Robin Knowles and husband, William – Friendswood, TX; grandson, Rustin Rethemeyer, and wife, Jen of Chicago. She also leaves four great-grandchildren, Alyssa Knowles, Blake Knowles, Graham Rethemeyer and Sheffield Rethemeyer; and special cousins, Ruth Overton, Jerry (Silvia) Overton and Bob Overton.

While Wanda was living in Lee’s Summit, she met many wonderful people whom she grew to love. To mention a few would be to leave out too many, but three she dearly loved were Linda Hodges, Glenda Borgman and Linda Gregg. Wanda passed away peacefully, but her presence will always be missed. She dearly loved her family, and she left a huge mark on each of them.

Services were held Saturday, Feb. 3, at Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home in El Dorado Springs.