Oct 12, 1935 — Sep 27, 2026
Lenexa
Charles “Chuck” Anthony Lavery passed away peacefully on September 27, 2026. He was born on October 12, 1935, to Charles “Pop” and Cecelia “Mom” Lavery in Kansas City, Kansas. He was one of 10 children and grew up in the Westport area.
From an early age, Chuck developed a love of fishing and hunting, passions that stayed with him throughout his life. He also learned the value of hard work at a young age and instilled that value in his children by his example throughout his life.
In 1954, Chuck married Peggy Nosworthy and they had four sons together: Bill, Donald, John, and Tim. They later divorced. On December 30, 1965, Chuck married the love of his life, Mary Teresa McMahon. They had known each other for only five months, but they knew they had found true love—and that love lasted until Mary passed away in 2011. Chuck and Mary had two daughters together, Teresa and Megan.
Chuck spent most of his career as a dental technician. He eventually went to work for John Hansen and later for John’s son, Steve. Both John and Steve were very supportive of Chuck and Mary and were always remembered by Chuck as loyal friends.
Chuck and Mary began their married life in Kansas City, Missouri and eventually moved to Olathe, Kansas. In 1971, their dream of owning their own home came true when they moved to Spring Hill, Kansas.
They spent the next 40 years together in Spring Hill, becoming part of the community and treasuring each day. In 1993, with son-in-law Greg serving as their general contractor, they built their dream home west of town. Chuck had plenty of acreage to mow, and he and Mary had a huge garden just as they had in town. Their gardens were filled with many vegetables and together they canned and shared what they grew. Chuck had a knack for growing all types of tomatoes and always made the best BLTs.
Over the years their home became a gathering place for friends and family. There were barbecues, trap shooting, working in the big garden, and countless days spent together. It was also where they continued the family tradition of hosting their annual holiday party on the first Sunday of December, just as Pop and Mom had done for many years. There was always a Santa Claus with gifts for the children and plenty of food and drink for everyone.
Their home was their dream, but what made it truly special were the memories created there and the love Chuck and Mary shared with their family and friends. Those memories will remain with all of us forever.
In January of 2011, Mary was diagnosed with cancer and passed away six weeks later. Chuck, along with their daughters, family, and friends, were devastated by her loss. He carried on with the love and support of those around him and remained in their home for seven years. Eventually, the house became too much work, and the loneliness of living there without Mary was taking its toll.
Chuck moved to Shawnee Hills, an independent senior living community, where he quickly made new friends and thrived. Phil, Mary Ann, Seally and Eudora all became special friends, and Chuck enjoyed the companionship and community he found there.
Chuck loved to play pool and had enjoyed the game throughout his life. While at Shawnee Hills, he started a weekly pool game for the residents, gathering people for pool, beer, wine, popcorn he made himself, and good conversation. It became something Chuck looked forward to each week, and he loved being the one to bring everyone together. He also played poker on Monday nights with his friends Bill, Donna, their daughter Kathy and Jerry.
In 2023, Chuck needed more assistance with everyday activities and moved to SageGrove at Lenexa, formerly Benton House. He was still independent enough to enjoy much of his own life, making it a good choice for him. Dan and Teresa lived just five minutes away, and Teresa was there for Chuck day to day, while Megan was there often and remained closely involved, and together, they made sure their dad was cared for, surrounded by love, and never alone.
Chuck was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Mary; his son, John; his parents; and his siblings, Shirley, Ralph, Ed, Frank, and Mel. He is survived by his siblings, Bob, Paul, Margaret Mary, and Theresa; his sons, Bill, Donald, and Tim; and his devoted daughters, Teresa and Megan, and their husbands, Dan and Greg. He leaves behind many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, along with countless family members and friends who loved him.
Teresa and Megan want to thank everyone who helped care for Chuck at Benton House/SageGrove. Your kindness to our daddy and the way you made his life special will never be forgotten. You made him laugh, treated him with respect and made each day brighter. So many of you created an environment where he was safe, engaged and supported. Your compassion and care mattered, and we will be forever grateful to all of you.
Thank you to Father John Pilcher, Debbie Britain, Rosemary Pflumm, Joan Brisimitzakis and Thelma Neid for the kindness you gave Chuck each week at SageGrove with mass, prayer and conversation. You provided him a way to keep his faith alive by sharing your time with him as well as others at the community. Chuck was a devoted Catholic throughout his life, and we find comfort knowing he has been reunited with our mom, brother John, and all the other family members and friends who were waiting to welcome him home.
Rosary will be at 10:00 at The Holy Trinity Chapel, Lenexa followed by the Funeral Mass at 10:30, 9130 Pflumm Rd.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to St. Jude Children’s Hospital: CLICK HERE, Children’s Mercy Hospital: CLICK HERE or Holy Trinity Catholic Church CLICK HERE
And to everyone who crossed paths with Chuck these last few years, we part with his goodbye to us all: “Stay Healthy.”
Obituary published by Amos Family Funeral Home.
