Mary Korbelik Obituary
Mary Helen Korbelik
October 24, 1928 - April 25, 2025
Mission Hills, Kansas - Mary Helen Korbelik passed away peacefully April 25, 2025, in Denver, CO, at age 96. She lived in Mission Hills, KS, for many years.
Mary Helen was born October 24, 1928, in Corpus Christi, TX. Her parents were John Benjamin and Helen Cox Hardwicke. After high school in Corpus Christi, Mary Helen studied business administration at the University of Texas in Austin. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.
She met her future husband, George Joseph Korbelik, at university. Soon after her graduation, they married in Corpus Christi on September 29, 1951, a union that was to last almost 60 years. Through the years, they lived where George's successful business career took them - a decade in Kansas City, then seven years in Minnesota, and finally back to Kansas City.
Mary Helen was a lifelong Presbyterian and served as an active member of Village Presbyterian Church for many years.
As a long-time member of the Rainbow Auxiliary, she worked in support of the Mental Health Center and later the Crisis Intervention Center at the Kansas University Medical campus. She served on the executive board and the playground and garden committees.
Mary Helen was passionate and knowledgeable about sustaining and enhancing the environment. She gave exceptional support to the Land Institute in their work to develop perennial grain crops. She was an ardent member and generous supporter of the Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club, and other like groups.
She faithfully supported PBS and never missed a Nova show. She was a master gardener and a talented watercolorist as well. She and George played a good game of tennis.
To all who knew her, Mary Helen is remembered as a lady of grace and kindness and intelligence. She was soft-spoken and had a beautiful smile; she took sincere interest in everyone she met. She cared for causes and creatures great and small. She always filled her birdfeeder.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her three brothers, John, William, and Lawrence; her husband George; and her son David.
She leaves her son, Robert and wife Debra, of Denver and her daughter, Jill, of Eugene, OR. Two grandsons and their families also live in Denver: Jason, wife Leah, and Lucie, Cecilia, and Max; Brian, wife Alejandra, and Luca.
No service is planned. Her ashes have been scattered to join those of George and David.
Published by Kansas City Star from Jul. 8 to Jul. 13, 2025.