Kevin Joseph Growney Sr., 87, passed away peacefully at Villa St. Francis Catholic Care Center in Olathe, KS on August 4, 2026.
Kevin was born October 8, 1938, in Kansas City, KS to Lawrence and Adelia (Willoughby) Growney. He attended Visitation Catholic School and graduated from Rockhurst High School in 1955. He attended Regis College in Denver, CO for two years. He then received a congressional appointment to the United States Naval Academy, where he graduated with the class of 1961, a member of the 24th Company (the “Zoo”).
He was extremely proud of his military service in the Navy Supply Corps, where he held many logistics managerial jobs over a 20-year career. His assignments took the family to many places, including Evanston, IL; Taipei, Taiwan; Washington DC; Stanford University to earn his MBA; his hometown of Kansas City; finishing at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. He also served as Asset Control Officer in Saigon during the Vietnam conflict in 1972-1973. He retired in 1981 with the rank of Commander.
After graduation, Kevin married Patricia Barry on December 30, 1961, and together they were blessed with four children. After their divorce, he later married Beverly Schmitt on September 16, 1992.
After the Navy, the family returned to the Kansas City area, where Kevin enjoyed a second career in the corporate world. He worked as Director of Material at King Radio Corp / Allied Signal until retiring in 1995, then spent eight years of semi-retirement teaching college management courses at local universities around KC.
Kevin loved sports including golf, tennis, and racquetball. He played football and basketball in his younger years. He never missed watching his kids’ sports competitions, and he even coached many little league teams over the years. He also loved cheering for the Jayhawks and the Naval Academy Midshipmen in all sports. He enjoyed traveling, and he and Bev took many wonderful cruises all around the world. He also liked reading history and novels, and music – especially Broadway Musicals such as Cabaret, The Music Man, and Oklahoma. His children fondly (although not-so-fondly at the time) remember him waking them with his very loud rendition of “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” from the musical Oklahoma!
Kevin was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Lawrence, and his sisters Maureen & Clare. He also experienced the excruciating pain of losing his son, Larry Growney, to glioblastoma (brain cancer) in November of 2025. We are comforted knowing that he has so many loving arms welcoming him to heaven!
He is survived by his wife, Beverly, his son Kevin (Anette) Growney of Olathe, KS; daughter Micaela (Heath) Mitts of Overland Park, KS; daughter Seana (Tom) Barry of Bend, OR; stepchildren Chris (Peggy) Schmitt of Shawnee, KS and Beth Schmitt of Overland Park, KS; and grandchildren Justin, Zack (Lindsey), Andrew (Grace), AnnMarie (Nathan), Matt (Erin), Aidan, Jacob, Dylan, Krista, Maggie, Oscar, great-grandchildren Eli, Henry, and Sam, who adore him and will miss him dearly. He has maintained loving relationships with many nieces and nephews, and he has kept up with lifelong friends from elementary school and from the Naval Academy. All will remember him fondly.
About 25 years ago, Kevin wrote what he titled his “Family Story.” As an introduction to this detailed account of his life thus far, he wrote a letter to his children. He ended the letter as follows:
“As for me, I have had a wonderful journey and have enjoyed spectacular scenes. My Catholic faith has guided me. I have enjoyed my education – Jesuits, Naval Academy, Stanford; and my work – the Navy, corporate America, teaching. I have had a loving mother, brother, and two sisters. I have experienced the love of two special women – my spouses with whom I have shared my adult journey. I have grandchildren that fill me with love and have the marvelous special qualities of their parents. Most of all, God has blessed me with four wondrous children for whom I have extreme pride and everlasting love. Someday I will pass from this life, but my spirit will be with you always. Remember me at those special times in life when I would have loved to be there to share with you. Also know that when times get rough, I will be there to help you carry the burden.”
We will celebrate Kevin on Friday, August 14 at St. Paul Catholic Church, 21650 W. 115th Terr., Olathe, Kansas, with a visitation at 10 a.m. and a Mass of Christian Burial at 11a.m.
In lieu of flowers, a donation to Villa St. Francis (VSF) is welcomed. This is where he spent the last months of his life under compassionate care of the staff.
We love you, Dad!