Funeral home in search of family, friends of 99-year-old Grandview woman
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The search is on for the family and friends of a 99-year-old Grandview, Missouri woman who died more than a month ago.
One Kansas City metro funeral home is doing all they can to give her a proper home going celebration. But with no family the task has become challenging, and the clock is ticking.
For nearly 30 years, 99-year-old Katherine Shirley called the Life Care Center of Grandview home.
Her social worker describes her as a kind, woman of God, who took care of herself, and it was that place where the workers over the years became her family, as the ones who were blood related faded away for one reason or another.
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So, for the final stage of Ms. Shirley’s journey, it lies in the hands of the Marcom-Harvey team.
“We were elated and more than happy to take Ms. Shirley and honor her wishes,” Aesha Humphrey the co-owner of Marcom-Harvey Funeral Care said.
It started in May when Katherine Shirley passed away. With no family, she became a ward of the state.
She was set to be cremated when it was discovered she had wished for and already paid for a proper burial, but the funeral home agreement had been closed.
There was also one other small catch.
“We couldn’t find anyone that knew her, no next of kin, no one so we really want to honor what she wants to do and her legacy,” Humphrey said.
Shirley knew the casket and the flowers she wanted and Marcom-Harvey funeral home will accommodate that request.
They’re just hopeful that someone here in Kansas City knows who this former secretary, who battled through the civil rights era, times where she couldn’t vote and, in the end, seeing what progress looked like.
Who she is and will step forward as they prepare to give her the star treatment and a hero’s goodbye.
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“We just have to do this. I just feel this is something that we must do, that we’re honored to do and that we will do,” Humphrey said.
As for the plans moving forward, there will be a community home going celebration within the next two weeks for Shirley. For updates you can check the Marcom-Harvey social media pages as they will be making regular post there.
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