Sally Aiken Myers

Sally Aiken Myers, 74, passed away at Research Medical Center on Monday, July 20, 2026, surrounded by loved ones, after succumbing to injuries from smoke inhalation following a house fire at her home on Saturday, July 18.

Sally was born on September 19, 1951, in Lawrence, Kansas, to James F. Aiken Jr. and Elinor E. Aiken (McIntosh). She spent most of her childhood in Wichita alongside her three siblings, all of whom survive her: her older sister, Jamie Aiken of Warrensburg, Missouri, and her younger brothers, James F. Aiken III of New York City and Tim Aiken (Karen Aiken) of Derby, Kansas. She also treasured the lifelong relationships she shared with her many cousins from both the Aiken and McIntosh families, remaining close through decades of family gatherings, shared stories, and lasting friendships. She is also survived by her former husband, Bill Myers (Sharon Denton) of Lyons, Colorado; her son, Skyler Garrett Myers and wife Katie Black, of Kansas City, Kansas; her daughter, Jasmine Scout Myers and husband Dayne Norman, of Kansas City, Kansas; and her cherished grandchild, Hadley Black-Myers.

Growing up, Sally excelled in both swimming and music, playing the flute throughout her youth. She shared countless adventures with her siblings and neighborhood friends before graduating from Wichita North High School in 1969. She initially enrolled at the University of Kansas to study music before discovering a calling that would define much of her professional life. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Fort Hays State University and devoted nearly thirty years to caring for others, serving as a psychiatric nurse at Menninger in Topeka during the 1980s and 1990s, working in community health and family planning, and later teaching as an adjunct nursing instructor at Front Range Community College in Fort Collins, Colorado.

In many ways, Sally carried forward the passions of both of her parents. From her mother, Elinor, a gifted piano teacher, she inherited a lifelong love of music and the arts. From her father, Jim, an environmental engineer whose career centered on public health, she developed a deep appreciation for service and caring for others. Together, they instilled in Sally a lifelong curiosity, creativity, and compassion that she carried with her throughout her life.

Creativity and curiosity were woven into nearly everything Sally did. An accomplished seamstress, she lovingly sewed elaborate Halloween costumes for Skyler and Jasmine, sometimes following commercial patterns and other times designing them entirely herself. She found joy in music, literature, film, gardening, and creating beautiful spaces that reflected her artistic eye. The names she and Bill chose for their children reflected that creativity. Jasmine's middle name, Scout, honored the unforgettable narrator of To Kill a Mockingbird, one of Sally's favorite novels. Skyler's middle name, Garrett, was inspired by original Saturday Night Live cast member Garrett Morris, whose humor never failed to make Sally and Bill laugh.

Sally believed one of the greatest gifts a parent—or grandparent—could give was a love of learning. She encouraged and enthusiastically supported the interests of her children, Skyler and Jasmine, from an early age, filling weekends, family camping trips, and vacations with opportunities to explore museums, historic sites, gardens, and traveling exhibitions. Whether exploring the Sternberg Museum while the family lived in Hays, visiting the Kansas Museum of History in Topeka, spending afternoons at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, traveling to the Denver Museum to experience exhibitions on Ramses, Anne Frank, and the Aztecs during the family's years in Fort Collins, or simply spending time together outdoors, Sally delighted in introducing her children to new ideas, cultures, history, and the natural world. Those experiences fostered a lifelong appreciation for learning, history, the arts, nature, and exploration. Later in life, she shared that same encouragement and enthusiasm with her grandchild, Hadley, nurturing a love of creativity, reading, and discovery in new ways.

Long before Pinterest or online inspiration boards, Sally created her own. She filled binders with carefully clipped pages from magazines like Country Living, organizing ideas for decorating, landscaping, and gardening that she revisited whenever inspiration struck. Her passion for gardening eventually led her to earn her Master Gardener certification through Kansas State University in the mid-1990s, after which she volunteered at Lee Creek Gardens in Manhattan, Kansas.

Sally was a lifelong Jayhawk fan who proudly reminded anyone who would listen that she was born in Lawrence. She took great pride in both of her children earning bachelor's degrees from the University of Kansas and especially loved watching players whose enthusiasm for the game matched her own—from Danny Manning to Tyshawn Taylor to, most recently, Melvin Council Jr.

As her mobility declined during the last decade of her life and gardening became more difficult, Sally simply found new ways to express her creativity. She found tremendous joy making arts and crafts, baking cupcakes, reading books, and spending time with her beloved grandchild, Hadley. Encouraging Hadley's own curiosity and creativity became one of the greatest joys of her later years.

Her legacy lives on in those she loved, in the beauty she created, and in the countless memories that will continue to inspire family and friends for generations to come.

A memorial service celebrating Sally's life will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. at Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home, 14275 S. Black Bob Road, Olathe, Kansas 66062. Family and friends are warmly invited to continue celebrating Sally's life at a reception immediately following the service from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Summit Ranch in Shawnee, Kansas.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages memorial contributions to organizations supporting mental health, lifelong learning, public gardens, museums, or the arts—causes that reflected Sally's compassionate spirit, boundless curiosity, and enduring commitment to enriching the lives of others.

The family wishes to express its deepest gratitude to the members of the Kansas City Fire Department, EMS personnel, and the physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and staff at Research Medical Center. Their skill, compassion, and kindness not only provided exceptional care to Sally but also gave her family the precious gift of being together, sharing memories, expressing their love, and saying goodbye.

To leave a special message for Sally's family or to share a memory of Sally, please visit the guestbook below.