Eileen Cecelia (O’Rourke) Manning, 72, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on April 15, 2025. She was born July 30, 1952, in Kansas City, MO, the 5th of 8 children to Patrick and Dorothy O’Rourke.
Eileen grew up in Roeland Park, KS. She attended St. Agnes grade school and graduated from Bishop Miege High School in 1970. After high school, Eileen worked at General Savings and Loan (later renamed Franklin Savings) in Mission, KS for 10 years. With her calm presence, problem-solving skills, and financial acumen, she was promoted and served as Assistant Vice President/Branch Manager until 1983. It was while working at Franklin Savings that she met Jim Manning. The two were married in 1980 – a union that lasted 20 years.
Eileen left Franklin Savings to dedicate her time to her growing family. Her four precious children – Chris, Kim, Kelly, and Caitlyn – filled her life and kept her busy. She was an ardent supporter of each child’s sporting endeavors, activities, and dreams. There was no distance she wouldn’t travel to watch a softball game, gymnastics meet, or track meet, or any limit to the number of cookies she would provide for a class party. She was an active member of the Holy Trinity School community and greatly valued the spiritual, as well as educational, development of her children.
After 20 years of raising children, Eileen took a brave risk and enrolled in nursing school at Johnson County Community College. Upon earning her R.N. in 2002, she worked as an orthopedic and rehabilitation nurse at St. Joseph Medical Center in Kansas City, MO for 15 years. Nursing was, of course, the perfect fit for Eileen. With her empathy, level-headedness, ability to smile through stress, and attention to detail, she provided excellent care to her patients until retiring in 2017.
Eileen treasured her seven siblings, as they equally loved her. But her greatest joy came from her children and grandchildren. Every ounce of energy she invested into motherhood, she reinvested into her grandchildren. She loved each of them unconditionally. She gave freely of her time to help and support each young family with no strings attached. She will always be the beloved “Nini” to all 11 grands and the invaluable mother, role model, and cheerleader to Chris, Kim, Kelly, and Caitlyn.
Eileen is preceded in death by her parents, Patrick and Dorothy O’Rourke; her mother- and father-in law, Doris Manning Bowman and Tom Manning; and sister-in-law Jan Crandall. She is survived by her four children who have loved her beyond measure: Chris (Amber) Manning, Kim (Adam) Venegas, Kelly (Brian) Bilenki, and Caitlyn (Luke) Zeller. Additionally, she leaves their father, Jim Manning; her 11 grandchildren: Jack, Henry, and Charlie Manning; Lola Venegas; Maggie, James, Nick, and Sam Bilenki; and Kinsley, Mason, and Braden Zeller; her seven siblings: Mary Pat (David) Kerr, Kathleen (Bill) Thomas, Peggy O’Rourke, Mike (Cyndy) O’Rourke, Dottie (Bob) Purcell, Dan (Deb) O’Rourke, and Maureen (Dan) Carroll; plus many nieces and nephews, and scores of friends whose lives she touched along the way.
A funeral service will be held for her on Tuesday, April 22nd at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Lenexa, KS. Visitation begins at 9:30am followed by the funeral Mass at 10:30am. Burial will follow at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa, KS. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Prairie Elder Care (10034 W. 151st St, Overland Park, KS 66221) in Eileen’s name
Obituary published by Signature Homes.
