Leslie Hunt McMillian

Leslie Anne Hunt McMillian passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Sunday, Jan 28th at Menorah Medical Center. She was a cherished wife, mother, sister, mother-in-law, grandmother, aunt, cousin and friend. She was deeply loved.

Leslie was born in Kansas City, MO to her loving parents Charles and Marian Hunt. At the tender age of five years old Leslie survived polio. She was raised in a happy home with her parents and her sister, filled with loving grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. She attended Southwest Missouri State College, where she was Sorority President of the Sigma Kappa chapter. She married her college sweetheart Joseph McMillian on June 7th, 1969 at Blue Ridge United Presbyterian Church of Raytown. Although her primary occupation in life was homemaker, her many titles and accomplishments reached beyond the confines of their home. Throughout her lifetime she was a High School English Teacher, a Sunday school superintendent and wedding coordinator for The Presbyterian Church of Stanley, pre-school teacher at Stilwell Preschool and board member of The Blue Valley Youth Players.

Leslie was a devout Presbyterian, who loved singing in the church choir, and formed many life long friendships through Bible study and worship at the Presbyterian Church of Stanley and later, Village Presbyterian. She believed in progressive values. She loved all animals (elephants were her favorite) and fostered, rescued, and adopted countless cats and dogs, all of whom she loved as greatly as any mother would love a child. Over the past 20 years she became passionate about rescuing retired Greyhounds. She nurtured her children’s artistic talents, loved spending time with her grandchildren, and could often be found watching the latest prestige television drama with her husband, if there was no game on. She was a devoted fan of the Royals and the Chiefs. She enjoyed going to opening day at the K every Spring with her nieces. Every football season she participated in picking winners in a weekly pool with her son-in-law. She often won and brandished the coveted season trophy six times.

Counted among her many pleasures was traveling, gardening, being in nature, bird-watching, the company of a good book, a warm bath, and a chilled glass of white wine.

She is survived by her husband Joseph McMillian, her daughter Sarah Garibaldi and husband Christopher Garibaldi and children Stella and Thomas Garibaldi, her son Michael McMillian and fiancee Kathleen Dyler, her sister Laura Groce and daughters Jessica Groce and wife Tawn Nugent, and Katherine Lehr and sons Creighton and Finnegan Lehr, her dog Nelly, her cats Fernando and Lawrence, and many other cousins, friends and loving family members. To say she will be missed is too inadequate of a phrase.  Her presence and memory will live on in the hearts of her loved ones forever.

Leslie will be laid to rest at Memorial Park Cemetery in Kansas City, MO on Friday, Feb 2nd in a private ceremony with immediate family members.

Memorial Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 9th at 11am at Village Presbyterian Church - Antioch Campus, 14895 Antioch Road, Overland Park Ks 66221 followed by luncheon in Fellowship Hall.

Her family would like to thank her doctors, nurses and medical staff at Menorah. In lieu of flowers, her family asks that you donate to her favorite Greyhound rescue, Kansas City Retired Greyhounds as Pets: https://kcregap.org/donate/