Gert Chrisman

Gert Chrisman
Gertrude Elise "Gert" Chrisman, age 90, of Kansas City, Kansas, and previously of the Monticello area in Shawnee, Kansas, passed away on Tuesday, July 4th, 2023. Visitation will be 10-11 am, with the Funeral at 11 am, both Tuesday, July 11th at the Alden-Harrington Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Monticello Union Cemetery in Shawnee, KS. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in care of the funeral home.
Gert was born on February 4th, 1933 in Olathe, Kansas, and was the youngest of three daughters born to Fred & Lea Bender. Gert grew up in the Monticello area and graduated from the Bonner Springs High School in the Class of 1950. While working at Watson Drug Store in Bonner Springs, she met L.J. Chrisman when he returned home from serving in the US Army during the Korean War. They were married on November 25, 1953, and together they raised their three children in the Monticello area. Gert worked for some time at Western Auto in Kansas City, MO. And volunteered as the Secretary/ Bookkeeper at the Monticello United Methodist Church. Later she worked for many years at the Johnson County Appraisers Office retiring in 1996. She and L.J. were avid Golfers and longtime season ticket holders with the Kansas City Chiefs. Gert also loved to read novels and learning to do oil paintings of landscapes. She had always loved John Wayne and was always watching a John Wayne movie or another western. As her grandchildren grew, Gert enjoyed watching them in all of their school or sporting events, especially since she lived across the street from their Middle School. In recent years, Gert devoted a lot of her time to planning and running the Bonner Springs 51+ All School Reunion. Gert also enjoyed cooking and her family and coworkers enjoyed her famous cinnamon rolls, she also made the best strawberry jam ever. She had a love for horses which began in high school when she bought her first horse, named Lady. She passed this love of horses on to her children and her granddaughter. Once retired, she and L.J. traveled for golf outings and visited family and friends throughout the United States. Gert took the greatest pride in being a wonderful mother, grandmother, and that she was a "tough Kansas farm girl".
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband L.J. Chrisman, her two sisters: Frances Holyfield and Phyllisus DeMaranville, and a son-in-law Darryl Lafferty.
Survivors include her three children: Steve Chrisman of Kansas City, Kansas, Joyce Webb and husband Kenny of Shawnee, KS., and Valerie Lafferty of Basehor, KS., two grandchildren: Brett Lafferty and Whitney Lamb and her husband Clay, and two great-granddaughters: Neeley and Norah Lamb, as well as a host of extended family and many, many friends.