LeAnna Wilson, 73, of Lenexa, Kansas passed away Monday, July 29, 2019.

She was born in Thomas, Oklahoma on June 24, 1946 to C.L. and Jo Ann Smith McGettrick. She graduated from Chanute High School in 1964, attended college briefly and then began working. LeAnna married Richard Arlen Wilson in 1969. They moved from Kansas to Georgia for a short time where she and Richard found employment. In 1971 she moved back to Kansas, where she lived in Olathe for many years and developed friendships that continued to endure after she and Richard relocated to Lakeview Village in Lenexa in 2013.

She was committed to furthering her education, so she began attending Johnson County Community College and earned an associate of arts degree in 1974. But that was just the beginning of her passion for higher education. In 1976 she graduated from Mid America Nazarene College with a bachelor of arts degree in business education. After that, she earned a master of science degree in general human ecology from Kansas State University and another master of science degree in business education from Emporia State University in 1980. In 2003, at the age of 57, she took her education to the highest level, earning a Ph.D. degree in curriculum and instruction from Kansas State University.

LeAnna was an educator at heart. Whether it was the education and training of professionals at Sprint, teaching high school and college level classes, or instructing working adults at Johnson County Community College, she helped expand the minds of so many people. When she was not working, she enjoyed many activities, but nothing so much as sewing, traveling, and being with her family. She traveled throughout the United States and to many countries during her life, including all seven continents of the world. Most recently she had been to Auty, located in southern France, for a sewing workshop. She was a master seamstress, making many of the clothes she wore. Truly, she was dedicated to the art of sewing and sharing her gift to help others learn the craft.

LeAnna was preceded in death by her mother, Jo Ann Schantz, father, C.L. McGettrick, stepfather, Emory Schantz; brother, Terry Schantz, and stepson, Steve Wilson. She is survived by her husband, Richard Wilson; sister, Jane Sunny (Jim); nephew, Jay Criger (Allison Franks); niece, Julie Morton (Heath); great-nieces, Libby Morton and Reilly Criger; great-nephew, Charlie Morton, and a host of family and friends.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to all the caring friends who assisted LeAnna and Richard so much after LeAnna’s cancer diagnosis. You know who you are.

LeAnna was a believer in helping others and giving back to her community. She expressed a strong desire that those who wished to send flowers in her honor to instead please donate to the local organization Once We Were Refugees https://www.oncewewererefugees.org/ so they can continue their work of helping refugees learn to sew and provide for their families.


The family will receive guests for a visitation from 1:00-2:00pm on Friday, August 2, 2019, at Penwell Gabel's Olathe Chapel, the memorial service will follow at 2:00pm, with burial in Oak Lawn Memorial Gardens.



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