John Michael Rejba

John Michael Rejba passed away at his home in Olathe, Kansas, on March 24, 2023, at the age of 79. He is preceded in death by his parents, Mary L. (Macan) and Carl T. Rejba, and brothers, Carl P., Conrad, and Timothy. He is survived by his wife, Carmela (Brown) Rejba; his children, Jennifer (Rejba) Nemitz, John M. (Devon Ritter) Rejba II, and Janiece Rejba; stepchildren, Charlynn and Corbin (Patricia) Marchack; his grandchildren, Clayton J. (Emma) and Cole L. Smith, William Nemitz, Preston Nyman, Conell Werts, and Clayton, Dominic, and Lydia Marchack; a great-grandson, August C. Smith; and his sister, Monica (Kevin) McGrath of Naples, Florida. He is also survived by the mother of his children, Jana L. (Kinder) Rejba of San Diego, California.

John was born in Kansas City, Kansas, and attended St. John the Baptist Catholic School on Strawberry Hill. He graduated from De La Salle Military Academy and was a member of the National Honor Society. He graduated from Rockhurst College with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He was active in the Boy Scouts, earning his Eagle Scout, and he also served in the US Coast Guard reserves. At the time of his passing, he was retired from a long career in accounting management, having held positions in banking, real estate, legal, consulting, and marketing.

Even in his seventies, John was an avid cyclist and enjoyed riding around the Kansas City area. He was a fan of Lance Armstrong, and he had annual Tour de France watch parties with his wife. John loved cars. His favorite car was the Chevrolet Corvette; he owned a 1975 T-top, Midnight Blue, that he enjoyed working on in his spare time. His children remember when he purchased an old dune buggy from a neighbor, working on it with him, and riding around the neighborhood on warm summer nights.

He spent every evening reading and would often fall asleep to a good murder mystery. When it came to waking up in the morning, he indulged his inner coffee snob with a hot cup of his favorite Peet's coffee. He loved finding plants to include in his landscaping and watching them bloom every spring. He was very fond of a crepe myrtle bush he recently planted and waited eagerly for it to flower this year. With his wife, Carmela, he enjoyed vacations in Florida, particularly the sunshine, beaches, and dining alfresco by the ocean.

John was also a fan of music and enjoyed it through collections of vinyl, CD, and eventually digital formats. He was known to jam out to the Beach Boys, Meat Loaf, and Bruce Springsteen. He had a huge soft spot for the beloved pets he had throughout his life: a miniature German schnauzer named Schultz and his Welsh terriers Scully (whom he named after a character in his favorite TV series, The X-Files) and Remy. He loved watching TV with his little Remy cuddling up beside him. He looked forward to Fridays for pizza and beer night with his dear wife.
Together they laughed while watching television series like Schitt's Creek and The Kominsky Method. Driving in his Mini Cooper, walking on the nearby trails, and having coffee in the morning on the screened porch are other ways he and his wife enjoyed time together.

A memorial service celebrating John's life will be held at Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home, 14275 Black Bob Road, Olathe, on Thursday, March 30, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Visitation will follow from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Harvesters Food Bank or the American Heart Association.

John's service will be livestreamed at the scheduled service time. Click Here to view the service.

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