Lillian I. Alexander

“An eclipse has come over our lives. Our hearts will never shine as bright or be as full again but the love in our hearts just keeps growing and never dies.” - Quote from our YiaYia (Florence Alexander)

On Saturday, March 27, 2021, our mother, Lillian Alexander, age 94, went home to be with her Lord and Savior. She passed peacefully with her daughters, Lynn and Lexie by her side, along with her granddaughters, Angie and Shelly.

Lillian was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, March 24, 1927, the youngest child of Peter and Mabel Sakelos (Neè Osborne.) As a young girl she and her brother, Nicholas, worked in their father’s Ice Cream store. It’s no surprise that her favorite desert was chocolate ice cream. Her parents, Peter and Mabel worked hard during WW II, yet Mom never complained or asked for anything. She was a beautiful loving daughter to her parents Mabel and Peter, a Greek immigrant from Sparta.

Lillian was a kind gentle soul and gave her time and assistance to anyone who asked. Her cheerful banter and selfless heart impacted the many who knew her. She always saw the positive side of life and never had an unkind word to say about anyone. Anyone whoever knew or met her thought she was the nicest and sweetest person. The twinkle in her eye and her loving heart touched all who knew her.

There will never be words to describe what her loss means to her family, friends and to those who were ever fortunate to know her kindness.

Her closet friends were from the church community. Lillian was an active member of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Kansas City. She was on the board of the Ladies Philoptochos Society, participated in the Daughters of Penelope and worked annually in the Greek Food and Music Festival. She was a VIP member and volunteered in the church library but her specialty was making coffee for any of the church events. This should put a smile on the faces of those who knew her. (The coffee had to be hot)!

She worked for Brandeis University Bookstore in Kansas City. The family was also owner operators of several nursing homes in Kansas City, Missouri, Paola and Topeka, Kansas.

She was preceded in death by her parents Peter and Mabel, her brother Nicholas, her husband of 44 years Harry Alexander and her great grandson Karl Whitehurst. She leaves behind two daughters Lynn (Jeff) Brown of Bellevue, Washington and Lexie (George) Palmer of Kansas City, Missouri, three granddaughters, Angie Whitehurst, Leigh (Jay) Schiller and Shelly (Mickey) Johnson, five great grandchildren, Ethan, Kate and Lynzie Schiller and Parker and Bailey Johnson, and godson, Tim Sakelos of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Funeral services will be 10AM (CST), Tuesday, April 6 at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 12001 Wornall Rd., Kansas City, Missouri. A Trisagion service will precede the funeral services. Following the funeral services, Lillian will be laid to rest with her husband Harry at Memorial Park Cemetery, 8251 Hillcrest Rd., Kansas City, Missouri. Due to COVID restrictions, the Makaria celebration will take place at a later date.

Funeral services will be 10AM (CST), Tuesday, April 6 at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 12001 Wornall Rd., Kansas City, Missouri. A Trisagion service will precede the funeral services. Following the funeral services, Lillian will be laid to rest with her husband Harry at Memorial Park Cemetery, 8251 Hillcrest Rd., Kansas City, Missouri. Due to COVID restrictions, the Makaria celebration will take place at a later date.