Mary Dolores Lewis

Mary D Lewis, 88, of Lees Summit, MO (John Knox Village) passed away April 22, 2019. A funeral Mass will be at 10:30 am Monday, May 13th at Church of the Blessed Sacrament, 124 N. Roosevelt St. Wichita, KS 67208. Graveside services and internment will be conducted immediately following the Mass at Calvary Cemetery, 610 S. Vassar St., Wichita KS 67218 and a luncheon will be served in the Church hall afterwards. Memorial contributions can be made to the Alzheimers Association, http://act.alz.org/goto/Mary-D-Lewis or Little Sisters of the Poor, Kansas City, www.littlesistersofthepoorkansascity.org/donations in the name of Mary D Lewis.
Mary D was born in Wichita, KS, November 8, 1930, the first child of James and Emma (Verschelden) Lewis. She was two and a half months premature, weighing approximately four (4) pounds and was not expected to survive. Mr. & Mrs. Lewis consecrated her life to the Holy Mother, Our Lady of Sorrows or Our Lady Dolours, keeping their baby in a shoe-box behind a heating stove to maintain her warmth. The young couple prayed for Marys intercession for their daughters life. Mary D. survived and was therefore given the name Mary Dolores in honor of Our Lady and the saving grace of her Son, Jesus our Lord.
Ms. Lewis grew up in Wichita and over the years welcomed four other Lewis siblings, Jane Kucharo (Richard), J. Arch Lewis (Rita), Corinne Potvin (Gerald), and Barbara Breckenridge (Robert). Mary D attended elementary school and graduated from high school at St. Marys Cathedral, Wichita, KS, in 1949. She went on to Marymount College, Salina KS; earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology and subsequently accepted an internship in Medical Technology with the Halstead Hospital in Halstead KS. In Halstead she prepared for her career years at the Veterans Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. Mary D spent her working years at an endocrine research laboratory supervising preparation of samples and performing chemical, biological and hematological analysis.
Family genealogy, golf, travel and keeping in touch with friends both near and far were important hobbies to Mary D. She enjoyed new cultures, experiencing new foods and people and traveled to China, Belize, Italy, the U.K., Spain and many other countries.
Mary D also greatly valued continuing education, keeping her mind sharp well into her seventies, often auditing theology and philosophy courses at University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. Mary D. spent a great part of her life, over 50 years, in the Twin Cities, Minnesota area. Some years after retirement she relocated back to the Kansas City, MO area to be closer to family there and in Wichita.
Mary D was preceded in death by her parents, James and Emma Lewis, a sister, Jane (Lewis) Kucharo, and her brother, J. Arch Lewis. She is survived by two sisters, Corinne Potvin and Barbara Breckenridge, and many cousins, nieces, nephews- grand and great-grand.
The family would like to thank the caregivers of John Knox Village and Hospice of Lees Summit for providing compassionate care in her final days.

Mass of Christian Burial Church of the Blessed Sacrament (Wichita)

Monday, May 13, 2019

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

124 N. Roosevelt St.Wichita, Kansas 67208
Directions Graveside Service Calvary Cemetery (Wichita)

Monday, May 13, 2019

11:45 AM

610 S. Vassar St,Wichita, Kansas 67218

There will be a luncheon following the inurnment back at the church hall.
Directions