Maribeth P. Honors, 94, of Lenexa, KS, passed away peacefully on January 2, 2021 at her home, surrounded by her three children, under the care of Brookdale Hospice.
Maribeth was born Sybil Maribeth Parker on July 7, 1926 to Arthur and Sybil Parker. The family relocated to her father’s home town Cape Vincent, NY, on the St. Lawrence River, where she and her brother were raised. There she spent her childhood enjoying swimming, ice skating and boating. After graduating from high school in 1943, she attended William Smith College in Geneva, NY. After completion of her studies, she went to work in Syracuse as a receptionist for North American Insurance Company. It was there, after the war, that she went on a blind date with a WWII Navy veteran named Tom Honors. They fell in love, and he soon grew fond of her home town Cape Vincent. They were married on New Year’s Eve in 1949, with a celebration reception at Hotel Syracuse.
They both attended SUNY Canton, where she studied Foods & Nutrition, and he earned a degree in Electrical Engineering, with a long career at G.E. Together they raised four children. Their early years were in Chittenango, NY, then to Constantia, NY with a house overlooking Oneida Lake. The family later relocated to Overland Park, KS in 1977 (in the Kansas City area) where her husband worked for Black & Veatch. She remained in the Kansas City area for the remainder of her life.
She worked at Oswego County NY BOCES as an office secretary, and later at Lenexa Parks & Rec Senior Center, where she was an administrative assistant, and drove the Senior Lift taxi during the 1980s. She had a lifelong love of Big Band and Dixieland Jazz music that she shared with our dad. She spoke fondly of her first time hearing Glenn Miller's In the Mood as a teen girl, and learning the Jitterbug at a favorite hangout Sunnybank in Cape Vincent.
In her retirement, she enjoyed socializing and playing cards at the Senior Center, along with taking day trips to theater shows. She remained independent in her home and took pride in her ability to live on her own, and later with assistance from family and visiting homecare helpers.
She is survived by her children Kathleen (Greg) Valentine, Patricia (Tom) Hardenburger and Steven (Eileen) Honors; 8 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Maribeth was predeceased by her husband Tom Honors, her son Tom Honors Jr, and her brother Art Parker.
Her family is eternally grateful for all the care, love and support received. A private service will be conducted at a later date.