Wesley Nelson Eastwood

Wesley Nelson Eastwood, 80, of Overland Park, Kansas, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 comforted by his family at home. He was born on November 27, 1944 in Kansas City, Missouri, the second son of Joel L. and Evelyn L. (Nelson) Eastwood. After attending Paseo High School and Southwest Missouri State College, Wes taught fine art at the University of Kansas then worked for the marketing department of Sears Roebuck and Co. in Kansas City, before starting his own successful marketing business in Overland Park.

Wes grew up in Kansas City, southeast of the Country Club Plaza. He remembered fondly riding his bike to the store to get groceries for his mother and spending his weekends at movie theatres showing sci-fi and westerns films. He often had family dinners at his grandparents’ house on Winthrop Rd., surrounded by his parents, brother, and aunts.

Wes thrived at Paseo High School, playing folk guitar, End in football, and was voted Most Popular in 1963. He was a natural leader as the President of his Senior Class. Wes met the love of his life, Rosie Boneff, just off the football field. She was a cheerleader for the opposing team, East High School. They knew immediately that marriage and family would be their future together.

Wes and Rosie both attended Southwest Missouri State College in Springfield, Missouri together. He was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, as well as the Delta Phi Delta Honorary Art Fraternity. His senior year, he was the editor-in-chief of the Ozarko, the college yearbook.

He graduated in 1967 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Wes and Rosie were married in 1968 at the Anna E. Kresge Chapel at the St. Paul School of Theology. They spent years after marriage advancing their careers, spending evenings with friends, and taking vacations to Acapulco and California. Wes started a new business enterprise, offering unique and hand-crafted graphic design services to clients in Kansas City. Rosie taught English and Social Studies at Old Mission High School, Hillcrest Junior High, and Westridge Middle School.

Wes would spend the next 40 years developing marketing and advertising materials for clients throughout the Kansas City area. He was an early adopter of Apple computers in the world of design and stayed on the cutting edge of technology for his entire career. He worked with some companies for more than 20 years, creating not just print and television campaigns, but growing each business into a successful brand. He chose to work with companies that he respected, whose owners practiced integrity and honesty in their successful business practices.

Creating opportunities for his children was central to Wes; between their participation in various sports teams and after school activities he prioritized family vacations to Colorado and Florida. Some weekends in summer allowed opportunities to entertain friends and family on the deck of his home. Other weekends were spent at the Lake of the Ozarks with his parents and his brother’s family, at their cabins at Sunrise Beach.

As his children grew, Wes moved the family to the Blue Valley School District where his children attended middle and high school. Both of his children graduated from the University of Kansas, Matthew works in information technology and Alison is a pharmacist.

Wes is survived by his wife Rosie, with whom he spent 56 years in marriage, as well as his children, Alison and her partner Aaron Miller, and Matthew and his partner Ashe, and grandson Elliot.

He was preceded in death by his father Joel, mother Evelyn, and his older brother Steve.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, March 28, 2025, at 4:00pm at the Morse Village Covenant Church, 15431 Quivira Rd, Overland Park, KS 66221, https://www.morsechurch.org/, where Wes gathered with friends regularly to worship. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to support his beloved church.

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