Sara McElhenny Whalen

Sara McElhenny Whalen, age 71, was born on November 6, 1954, in Topeka, KS to Marjorie A. and William B. McElhenny. Sara died on June 9, 2026, after a short and courageous battle with ALS. Sara was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Byron. She is survived by her husband Steve Whalen, her sister Ann McElhenny, and step-daughter Therese Lyons and husband Marty.

Raised in Topeka, Sara had a wonderful childhood, which included holidays and annual summer trips to Minnesota. Sara attended Whitson Elementary, Capper Junior High and Topeka West High School. She was a cheerleader at Capper and head cheerleader at Topeka West. She was Snow Ball Queen her senior year. She did not, however, try out to be cheerleader at the University of Kansas, saying that she had other things to do in college. She was a member of the Delta Gamma Sorority and double majored in early childhood education and psychology. She later obtained her Master of Science Degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Emporia State University.

Sara loved working with young children, starting her career at Village Presbyterian Preschool as a preschool teacher and later at Brookridge Day School and working nights as a waitress and a bartender at Sam Wilson’s. In 1981, Sara was hired as Director of what became the Hiersteiner Child Development Center at Johnson County Community College. She remained in this position until her retirement in 2013.

Sara served on several boards or was a member of various child related organizations, including the Greater Kansas City Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Coalition for Campus Children’s Centers, Johnson County Child Care Association, and Growing Futures, a Head Start program. Sara visited China on a People to People trip focusing on child development centers in that country. Through Johnson County Community College, she went to Las Pintas, Mexico on service trips for four years. Sara was also a member of several community organizations, including Junior League, Johnson County Young Matrons, and Kansas City Ski Club.

After Sara’s father died in 1976 of ALS, Sara, her mother, and sister traveled to various locations in the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. In addition, she went on trips with the Kansas City Ski Club (though she did not ski) to many locations, including Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Alaska.

Sara was overjoyed when Steve proposed to her on Christmas Eve in 2018. She thought her gift was a faucet for her bathroom remodeling. Steve had put the ring inside a faucet box. Her card said “I think this will look good in your new bathroom.” Sara was so excited about getting married and changing her name at age 64. Steve and Sara had five wonderful years of marriage and then ALS struck in 2024. The doctors at KU Med determined she had the bulbar type of ALS and she had inherited it from her father.

Steve would like to give a heartfelt thanks to Claire Ehney. She was a dear friend to Sara. Steve was at the skilled nursing facility eight hours a day with Sara. Steve would get help from Claire several hours each day seven days a week. Steve would go in the morning and stay until early afternoon. Claire would come and stay two to four hours. We only left her alone to sleep at night.

Steve thanks the staff at Ascend Care and the staff at Westchester Village for their loving care of Sara. He also thanks Jill and Erin with the ALS Society and the staff at KU Medical Center.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at Mount Hope Cemetery's Chapel in Topeka, KS, with interment following. The family will also have a Celebration of Life for Sara on July 26, 2026, at the Matt Ross Community Center in Overland Park, KS, from 3:00-6:00 p.m.

Donations in Sara’s memory may be made to Johnson County Community College Foundation, 12345 College Boulevard, Overland Park, KS 66210, with a designation to the Hiersteiner Child Development Center; the ALS Association, Mid-America Chapter, 6950 Squibb, Suite 210, Mission, KS 66202; or the charity of your choice.

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