Edith Ashley "Lee" Pentecost

1935 - 2025

Edith Ashley (Lee) Lamke Pentecost

November 30, 1935 - June 24, 2025

Overland Park, Kansas - Kansas City and its vibrant arts community have suffered a significant loss. Edith Ashley (Lee) Lamke Pentecost passed away on June 24, 2025, at Village Shalom in Overland Park, Kansas.

Lee was the oldest child of Edwin and Edythe Lamke. Born in Knoxville, Tennessee on November 30, 1935, she moved with the family to Washington, DC in 1951 where she completed high school and entered college at George Washington University. She left after her third year to marry Richard (Rick) L. Pentecost, who had just finished medical school at the same university. Rick joined the Public Health Service and they moved to New York City, where Lee worked on Wall Street. Their next assignment was to Baltimore, where Lee worked in the office of Milton Eisenhower, President of Johns Hopkins University. They moved to Virginia, where Lee returned to her undergraduate studies and received her bachelor's degree from George Washington University. Rick took a residency in psychiatry in St. Louis, and then, in 1961, they arrived in Kansas City for Rick's new position with the psychiatric receiving center.

While settling into their new home, Lee learned that the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art needed volunteers. Lee answered the call and became a dedicated and devoted volunteer for sixty years. She developed a deep understanding of the collection, researching and writing sixteen of the tours that are offered by the docents. When the museum celebrated its 75th anniversary, Lee researched and wrote an extensive presentation on the museum's history, which can be found on their website. When a museum in New York offered an exhibit on frames, Lee was inspired to research the frames at the Nelson. Her findings are in the museum's archives. When the Friends of Art had an exhibit of their purchases, Lee co-wrote the catalog. Lee started as a children's guide and a "Picture Lady," traveling to Kansas City area schools. She provided tours on a regular basis to employees of Hallmark in their creative section. It is estimated that she provided a total of 20,000 hours of tours.

Over the years, Lee also served as Docent Chair and was an active member of the Friends of Art, including serving on the purchase committee. She spent years studying the life and art of Nicolas Poussin. One of her published articles appeared in the German art journal Pantheon, and two appeared in Bon Voyage.

Lee was also active with the Kansas City Symphony and with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, volunteering with their Guild for more than fifty years. Her contributions include writing and publishing the guild's newspaper and helping initiate the Opera at Home sessions as well as overseeing the publicity for the auditions committee.

In 2017, Lee received the prestigious Virtuoso Award from ArtsKC for her "inspiring life dedicated to more than a half-century of volunteerism, humility and sense of humor, inspiring everyone she encounters."

In her personal life, she was surrounded by friends who shared similar interests. She participated in a movie group that met regularly to view and discuss classic films. And for years, Lee and Rick held weekly gatherings at the pool in their backyard. She and Rick both loved to travel. Most trips were to Europe, but many other places as well. Her family was a bit nervous when the two of them rode burros to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

Those who knew her frequently mention her sense of humor, which was evident in one of her most popular tours, "The Art of Love," and in her stories about her tours. A painted portrait of Lee will soon be hung in the offices of the museum as a tribute to Lee, who would most certainly be delighted to know that she will continue to be a part of the NAMA for decades to come. One of the staff members wrote, "Lee left an indelible mark on the museum's history and our Docent program." There are plans for a tribute tour on July 18.

Lee is survived by two sisters, Carol (Ty) Webb (Jerry) and Deborah (Debby) Galaty (Dick) along with one niece, Jessica Webb (Alex Leff), six nephews, Richard (Chip) Galaty (Jenny Soep), Edwin (Ted) Galaty (Tricia), Stephen Galaty (Brooke), Justin Webb (Hannah), Jason Webb (Cheryl), Marc Deiter (Vicki) and 13 grand-nieces and -nephews who will always remember Aunty Lee's tours of "her" museum. She was predeceased by her devoted husband, Rick.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to Lee Goodman, who has caringly watched over Lee for many years, and to the staff and nurses of Village Shalom, as well as to her caregivers for their excellent care and companionship.

Lee will be greatly missed by all her family and her friends.

Memorial donations may be made in Lee's name to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, or to a charity of your choice.