Pamela D. Pretz

Pamela Pretz, a loving daughter, wife, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully on May 11th after her battle with cancer. Pam was the family go-to person for all things in life that were important. So many times, it was said, “We’ll ask Pam” to make sure we weren’t making a poor choice, be it a personal or financial decision. She had a richness of warmth, spirituality, integrity, and intelligence wrapped up with a sense of humor. Her love, kindness, and knowledge will forever be missed.

Pam was born on September 1, 1959, in Olathe, KS, but spent much of her life in Tulsa, OK, where she made many close friends and enjoyed being a child of the 70s. When her family moved back to Olathe before her Senior year of high school, she took it upon herself to graduate early so she could return to her friends. She convinced her mom and dad that she needed to go back to Tulsa to attend college. She did just that and proudly graduated from the University of Tulsa. Over her life, she wandered away from Tulsa a few times in search of mountains and adventure but always returned to the city she loved.

Pam had a passion for reading and music which remained constant throughout her life. Unsurprisingly, her favorite musicians were storyteller songwriters and performers such as Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. She also found a love for baseball in the 90s, enjoying several trips to Arizona for spring training, collecting memorabilia, and researching those never-ending baseball stats. In recent years, she also cherished her book club and the fellowship of others who loved reading.

Pam worked as a CPA for many years in both Tulsa and Kansas City. She also completed a master’s degree, furthering her knowledge of the world of taxes. Later in life, Pam reunited with a close college friend from her past and found the perfect partner, Kim. Pam shared several wonderful years of her life with Kim, who became her wife in 2015. Unfortunately, after less than a year of marriage, Kim was taken from us in 2016, leaving Pam heartbroken. In 2020, Pam returned to Kansas City where she found a home in Overland Park near her mother, brother, nephew, and niece. She also found new friends at St. Michael’s and St. Thomas Episcopal church, where she enjoyed the friendship and love of others. She pursued her religious studies through an Education for Ministries group and participated in a devoted bible study and book club, furthering her joy of reading and discussion with others.

Pam was preceded in death by her wife Kim and father Richard. Pam is survived by her mother Shirley, brother Jeff (Annie), nephew Garrett (Jenna), niece Ashlyn (Ryan), her loving dogs Max and Rosie, and many close friends. We will never forget the wisdom, support and simple smile she always gave to us.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to The American Cancer Society.