Ron Mcnelis

Ron McNelis, 76, of Lenexa, Kansas, passed away peacefully on May 25, 2024, surrounded by the people he loved, his family.

Ron was born on March 19, 1948, to Jim and Nadine (Woodall) McNelis, and grew up around Miami, Oklahoma, and Grand Lake. As a young man he enjoyed camping and fishing with his parents and sisters, riding motorcycles, and his prized 1960's Ford Mustang. Ron was very proud of his Native American heritage and was a tribal member of the Cherokee Nation. He also collected original artwork made by Native American artists.

He met the love of his life, Patricia Lawrence, in 1967 at the KuKu while attending Northeastern Oklahoma A&M college. They married on June 22, 1968 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was the beginning of a beautiful 55-year marriage. They settled in Tulsa and welcomed two daughters, Angela and Lauren.

Ron began a long career with QuikTrip in 1968 as an assistant store manager. Over the years he held many titles and positions, retiring in 2010 as the Transportation Manager at the distribution center in Belton, Missouri. Ron took pride in his work ethic and bragged about never needing a sick day in his 42-year career. He was proud of the family members who also chose a career at QuikTrip, including his daughter Angela, sons-in-law Hank and Scott, granddaughter Kelsey, and grandson Korey.

Ron enjoyed grilling, fishing, washing cars, looking for deer antlers, and spending time at their house on Grand Lake. He loved hosting family and friends for weekends of fishing, swimming, boating, and just spending time enjoying the view. He loved watching TV, including golfing, Barrett-Jackson auto auctions, and football. He enjoyed talking about the weather, keeping his bird feeders full, and taking care of the many plants he had both inside and out. He was a whiz with numbers and could do the hardest math problems in his head. He loved drinking coffee, eating a good cheeseburger, and indulging in homemade desserts.

Ron was sometimes a man of few words, but he was always willing to help others with his generosity and kindness. He loved to spoil his wife, daughters, and grandchildren, making sure they were happy and well taken care of. He was an amazing husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many and will be dearly missed.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Angela, grandson Hunter, and sister Karen.

Ron is survived by his loving wife Patricia, daughter Lauren and her husband Scott, son-in-law Hank, grandchildren Kelsey, Korey, Zach, Lilee, Afton, and Amber, sister Kathy, and their cat Henry.



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