Patricia D. Ronan

Nothing endures like a Mother's love. Our mother, Patricia D. Ronan, moved on to accept her eternal reward on Mother's Day, May 13, 2007. Our love for her, and her love for her family, shall endure. Pat was born on January 9, 1930 to Edward and Josephine Degan. She was the youngest of the couple's nine children. The family was raised in a home at 33rd and Flora. Pat graduated from St. Vincent De Paul grade school, and Bishop Lillis High School. She attended Kansas City Junior College. After junior college, Pat became a flight attendant for TWA. It was on a flight from Chicago to Kansas City, that Pat was called to assist a male passenger whose passenger seat was malfunctioning. That chance meeting led to a date, and thereafter, in 1953, Pat and that passenger, William P. Ronan, Jr., were married in Kansas City, Missouri. To that union, six children were born. While lovingly raising her family, Pat worked during the 1960's for Anesthesia Associates and for the rest of her career, as a manufacturer's representative. She was a proud member of TWA's Clipped Wings Club. Pat was a positive, direct, energetic person who loved spending time with her family, traveling, interacting with people and analyzing the stock market. On important matters, she was a strong-willed woman and she strove to instill that quality in her children. Pat's determined spirit is perhaps best exemplified by the fact that after being told by doctors in 1977, that because of uterine cancer, she had less than a year to live, Pat told the doctors that she was not going to allow the cancer to shorten her life. Pat was preceded in death by her husband, William P. Ronan, Jr., and her only daughter, Therese M. Ronan. She is survived by her sons: William P. Ronan, III and his wife Nancy; Timothy E. Ronan; Michael J. Ronan; Patrick J. Ronan and his wife Mireya; and John M. Ronan and his wife Erin. She is also survived by one brother, Donald J. Degan, two sisters, Dorothy Cooke and Georgene McCracken and ten grandchildren. The family would like to sincerely thank the staff of the Kansas City Hospice House, Villa St. Francis, (especially Gayle Schuler), and the nurses and doctors at Olathe Medical Center, especially Dr. James Sebghati, for the wonderful care they provided to our mother. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to L'Arche, P.O. Box 40493, Overland Park, KS 66212. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at McGilley State Line Chapel, 12301 State Line Rd., Kansas City, MO., where the rosary will be prayed at 6:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 16, 2007 at Church of the Holy Cross, 8311 W. 93rd St., Overland Park, KS 66212 with burial following in Calvary Cemetery, 6901 Troost Ave., Kansas City, MO. Fond memories and condolences may be left at www.mem.com. (Arrangements: McGilley State Line Chapel 816-942-6180)