June Kay O'Dell

June Kay O’Dell, age 75, a resident of Liberty, MO, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2015. June was born June Kay Holder on July 25, 1940, to Cardinal Berl and Edna Pauline (Hayden) Holder in Braymer.

June lived in Braymer as a child and graduated from the Braymer High School in 1958. June was united in marriage with Ray Eugene O’Dell on Aug. 8, 1958, at the Braymer United Methodist Church. June and Ray moved to Kansas City in the late 1950s and began their working careers. June worked at City National Bank and later devoted her time to raising their two sons, Stan and Scott, both born in Kansas City. June and Ray moved to Grandview in 1968 and became an active part of the Grandview community for many years. They took their sons on many fun and interesting summer vacations, helping to cultivate an interest in travel. June and Ray traveled multiple times to Hawaii to relax and soak up the beauty of the islands. In later years, they would travel with their granddaughters as well.

June resumed working in the 1970s at St. Matthews Presbyterian Church Preschool in Grandview, and then took a job in 1977 in the finance department of the City of Grandview, where she worked for 22 years and eventually became the City Treasurer, before retiring in 1998. June and Ray moved in 2000 to Liberty to enjoy their retirement years together and to watch their extended family grow to include cherished grandchildren and to share in the joys of watching all of their young family pursue their dreams.

June remained an active member of the United Methodist Church throughout her life, having membership in the Methodist churches at Braymer, at the Longview United Methodist Church in south Kansas City, and later in life, the United Methodist Church in Liberty. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star for many years and was a member of the National Federation of Women. June loved spending time with her family, maintaining close ties with her many dear friends and her extended family throughout the Midwest and the country. June was a avid Mizzou fan and enjoyed watching NBA games, pro-cycling races and the Kansas City Royals. She was an avid reader.

June was preceded in death by both parents and by her younger brother, Jerry Berl Holder.

She is survived by her loving husband, Ray, of the home; sons, Stanley Ray O’Dell of Phoenix, AZ and Gregory Scott O’Dell (Denise) of Kansas City; four granddaughters, Nicole, Amber, Kristin and Natalie (Christopher, and great-grandson William); a grandson (Terry), all of the Kansas City area; and an older brother, Jimmie Ray Holder (Connie) of Largo, FL.

June’s family will welcome all friends at a Celebration of Life reception in her honor and memory from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015, at the Liberty United Methodist Church, 1001 Sunset, Liberty, MO 64068. Cremation will be followed by private family observances. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the United Methodist Churches of Liberty or Braymer. Arrangements are under the direction of Park Lawn Northland Chapel (816) 781-8228.

(paid obituary)