Roxana "Roxanne" Lee Morse

Roxanne passed away peacefully at her home of 47 years in southern Johnson County, Kansas, surrounded by the loving care of her family, on July 15, 2025. She was 87.

Born in Columbus, Ohio, on December 17, 1937, to Leo Joseph and Vivian Joanne C. (Bartsch) Coale, Roxanne’s life was rooted in compassion, dedication, and unwavering curiosity about the world around her. She grew up in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan where she developed her early love of learning, nature, and community service—values that would define her life, all of which were instilled by her parents.

Roxanne met the love of her life, Bernard John Morse, at a Halloween dance during their first year at Aquinas College in Michigan, where they both later graduated. Roxanne earned her Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Sociology and Elementary Education. A distinguished Aquinas Senior Leader, she was active in several campus organizations including the Spanish Club and the Glee Club. She continued her graduate studies in education at both Western Michigan University and Michigan State University. Roxanne and John were married on July 11,1959.

Early in her career, Roxanne taught third grade in Grand Rapids, Michigan—both in the inner city and in the suburbs—before stepping away from full-time teaching to raise a family. Though frequent relocations to various states due to her husband’s work made her teaching recertification in each new state difficult, she remained devoted to education. She served as a substitute teacher, Girl Scout leader, Sunday school teacher, and teacher’s aide in special education, math, reading, and science programs. A gifted artisan, she taught folk art painting, pyrography, and ceramic painting, sharing her creativity and joy for art with others.

Throughout her life, Roxanne poured her talents into numerous community civic initiatives. She was a consistent and engaged presence in every community she lived in, always looking for ways to improve, beautify, and connect.

She helped launch a volunteer program supporting teachers and families at a school for children with special needs, an effort that led to her nomination for city-wide Volunteer of the Year. She also played pivotal roles in establishing local arts fundraisers, historical societies, and neighborhood organizations, serving on a wide range of boards, including the Johnson County Planning Commission for 26 years, Historical Society of Blue Valley, 11 years as Director of Homes / Fine Arts Tours for Blue Valley and the Arts, decades on the Blue Valley Community Council, as an elected official for 24 years as Trustee for the Oxford Township, and Oxford Township Zoning Board for 24 years that included 15 years as chairperson.

She and her husband, John, shared many adventures together, both in life and in travel, visiting Italy, Germany, China, Australia, Hawaii, Alaska and more. At home, Roxanne’s true sanctuary was her garden. A Johnson County Master Gardener with K-State Extension for 28 years, she received the Distinguished Service Award in 2017 and continued to contribute thousands of volunteer hours to the Garden Gallery program, Hotline, Garden Tours, Extension Economic Development Committee and Council to name a few. Her yard—filled with more than 70 varieties of peonies and countless flowering plants, shrubs, and trees— is a living expression of her care, vision, and reverence for the natural world.

A passionate genealogist since the 1970s, Roxanne spent decades diligently tracing her family's history, always driven by a desire to understand, preserve, and factually document the stories that shaped them. She treasured family traditions, especially cooking and baking for gatherings, honoring recipes passed down through generations. She found deep peace in quiet moments of spiritual reflection, watching birds and blooming flowers in her garden, a place where time slowed and the beauty of life was always present.

Roxanne is survived by her daughters, Suzanne Morse (Peter Pierson) and Diane Magers, grandchild Kalen Dauterive (Dustin), and great-grandchild Dominic Dauterive; son-in-law John Magers; sister Debra Bruner (Kyle); brother Michael Coale; cousin Sharon (Bartsch) Sims, and beloved nieces, nephews, and lifelong family friends along with newly discovered extended family found through her diligent effort in researching family trees. She was preceded in death by her loving husband John Morse, her parents Lee and Joanne Coale, and her brother Jerry Coale.

Roxanne's life was one of quiet but powerful impact—woven through with service, wisdom, creativity, and deep love for her family and community. Her legacy blooms in every garden she touched, every program she helped build, and every heart she nurtured. She will be dearly missed and forever remembered.

A funeral service for Roxanne will be held Saturday, August 2, 11:00 AM, at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 14251 Nall Ave in Leawood, KS. A church luncheon will follow the service. A celebration of Roxanne’s life will be held at her home and garden at a date to be determined – in the Springtime when her peonies are in full bloom.

In honor of her generous spirit, donations may be made in lieu of flowers to:

1) Harvesters Community Food Network- Kansas City

https://secure.harvesters.org/site/Donation2?df_id=2800&2800.donation=form

2) The PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) Foundation

https://foundation.pbs.org/ways-to-give/memorial-honor-gifts/

To leave a special message for her family or to share a memory of Roxanne, please visit the guestbook below.