Marianne E. Lafex

Marianne McGarry Lafex, 73, of Olathe, KS, passed away Sunday, January 31, after a long illness. She was born on November 11, 1947, in Elizabeth, NJ, to John Patrick McGarry and Elizabeth Weber McGarry of Elizabeth, NJ. Marianne attended Catholic schools in her youth, graduating from Mount St. Mary Academy, Watchung, NJ, in 1965, and then entering Albertus Magnus College, New Haven, CT. She married her college sweetheart, Arthur E. Lafex of West Haven, CT, in 1967; and in their marriage of 53 years had three wonderful daughters, Suzanne Ciotti of Durango, CO; Elizabeth Czamanske of Shawnee, KS; and Sarah McDonald of Lees Summit, MO.

Shortly after moving to Olathe, KS, from Randolph, MA, where she had lived 4 years, Marianne returned to college, first to Johnson County Community College and then the University of Kansas, graduating in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She subsequently taught in the Olathe school district for 25 years until her retirement in 2008. As a teacher, she is remembered by former students as an effective and engaging teacher, one who used innovative and personalized techniques to establish fundamental concepts. She was chosen to teach sixth grade when Brougham Elementary School opened in 1985 and was again recruited to open Bentwood Elementary school in 1996. She and her close friend and colleague Claudia Worcester were the first teachers to implement team teaching in Olathe at Ridgeview Elementary School. She also found time to return to school, earning a Master of Science in Education in 1999.

After her retirement, Marianne pursued the art of quilting, making many quilts for charitable causes as well as family and friends. She created four Quilts of Valor, which are awarded to service members and living veterans of military actions. She made charity quilts for Blue Valley Quilt Guild and Resurrection West on behalf of homeless or battered women and their children. She continued to make charity quilts while undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments for her colon cancer. The last project she completed comprised two fidget blankets for Alzheimer's patients, made for the nurse who was caring for her in home hospice.

Besides quilting and other creative pursuits, Marianne especially loved spending time with her family, her three daughters and especially her six grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers, Robert McGarry of Edina, MN, and John McGarry of Bedford, NY, and many nieces and nephews and their children. She is recognized by all who knew her as a caring, giving, and loving person; and she will be sorely missed by many.

A memorial service will be held at Church of the Resurrection West, 24000 West Valley Parkway Olathe, KS 66061 on Friday, June 4th at 9am.

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