Janice Lee O’Keefe (Sanderson)

Janice Lee O’Keefe (Sanderson), of Olathe, KS, passed away Jan. 20, 2021 at Advent Health Shawnee Mission, KS.

She was born March 12, 1943, to Eugene and Evelyn (Redburn) Sanderson in Nevada. She graduated from El Dorado Springs High School in 1961. She was a proud member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, debate team, yearbook staff and choir. She was a member of the Future Teachers of America and while she never formally taught, she taught us a lot. In this same year she married Galen S. O’Keefe, the love of her life, on Nov. 20. They eventually made their home in Kansas City. While working full time as a bookkeeper for DIT-MCO International and raising her family, she graduated from Longview Community College with an associate degree.

She loved to listen to music, spend time with her friends and bake her favorites which were cinnamon rolls and pumpkin rolls that were enjoyed by everyone in the family. She was fortunate to be able to retire in 1998. At this time she and her husband enjoyed traveling in their motorhome to Florida, Texas and Arizona. They had fun times meeting new friends and visiting with family, especially while in Arizona where they traveled to for several winters. She really enjoyed the winter weather in Arizona. However, little hands tugged at their heartstrings and drew them back to Kansas. In 2005, they settled in Shawnee, KS, to be closer with their family and grandkids.

She was preceded in death by her spouse, Galen S. O’Keefe; father, Eugene Sanderson; mother, Evelyn Watkins; step-father, Roy Watkins; brothers-in-law – Don McNally, John (Jack) O’Keefe, Robert (Bob) Bergman, and sister-in-law, Catherine (Kay) O’Keefe.

She is survived by her daughter, Karen O’Keefe-Lingenfelter; husband, Garrett (Spring Hill, KS); daughter, Kathi O’Keefe (Olathe, KS), and daughter, Kerry O’Keefe-Owens, and husband, Dean (Shawnee, KS). She is survived by her grandchildren that she would talk endlessly about to anyone she would meet: Lillian Lingenfelter, and fiancé, Jared Germann, of Emporia, KS, and Nick and Lauren Owens, Shawnee, KS; three sisters – Barbara Hellmuth of Riviera Beach, FL, Linda Brown and Debbie Hubbard of El Dorado Springs; one brother, Ken Watkins of El Dorado Springs; sisters and brothers-in-law, many nieces and nephews, all whom she loved spending time with.

Services were held at St. Michael’s Cemetery, Wheaton, KS. Saturday, Jan. 23. The family would like to thank the nurses, doctors and caregivers for the care she was given while at Advent Health Shawnee Mission, KS.

The family suggests donations to St. John Paul II Parish, please state in memory of Jan O’Keefe for the building fund. Mail to St. John Paul II Parish attn: Ann Ecklund 16680 S. Lind Road Olathe, KS 66062 or Deanna Rose Farmstead, Overland Park, KS.

To leave a message for the family, visit www.Penwellgabelkc.com.