Louise Elizabeth Mackey, 87, formerly of Independence, MO, passed away on April 8, 2022, at Brookside Retirement Community, Overbrook, KS. Services will be held at Royer’s New Salem Funeral Home, 1823 N Blue Mills Rd, Independence MO on April 23 at 1:00 p.m. with visitation between 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Louise was born January 13, 1935, to Lloyd Noah and Dorothy Louise (Harris) Cooley in her grandmother’s house in Nemaha County, Kansas. She was the oldest of five children: Anne, Ralph, Norman, and Evelyn. Louise grew up in Atchison and after high school graduation, she relocated to the Quindaro area of Kansas City, Kansas. During this time, she rode a bus to her employer, A. E. Robinson, where she met Franklin D. Mackey. They married in December 1955 in Ava, MO. Soon after, Frank was drafted and Louise would spend her Friday evenings driving to Fort Riley to visit him and driving home in the wee hours of Monday morning to return to work. In the early 1960’s Louise and Frank purchased a home in Independence, MO, where their four children, Gregory Alan, Douglas Franklin, Gretchen Louise, and Jonathan Michael, grew up and called home. Louise ironed baskets of clothes, worked as conference secretary for the Free Methodist church, cooked summer camp meals at the Light and Life center (Free Methodist conference camp in El Dorado Springs, MO), re-shelved books at Mid-Continent library during her retirement, and volunteered as a greeter at Palmer Center. She was a foster mom for many years, den mother when her sons were young, and an involved Christian at the Free Methodist church. She sewed clothes, sent greeting cards, and was the person in the crowd who connected with each person through her active listening and genuine interest in them. And when you would say, “It’s good to see you, Louise,” she would reply, “It is good to be seen.”
Louise is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Frank; a son, Greg; and a brother, Norman. She is survived by her children Doug (MarSue) Mackey, Lawrence, KS; Gretchen (Tony) Janes, Phoenix, AZ; and Jon (Tricia) Mackey, Lee’s Summit, MO; six grandchildren Leah Janes, Lucas Mackey, Mason Mackey, Kyle Janes, Levi Mackey, and Landon Mackey; two sisters Anne (Arden) Locke, Evelyn “Tootsie” (Kenny) Burkhart, both of Lawrence, KS; one brother Ralph Cooley, Broken Arrow, OK; three sisters-in-law Ruby Jane (Larry) Burton, Joyce Mackey, both of Ozark, MO, and Judy Mackey, Prairie Grove, AR; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Oakdale Christian Academy, Jackson, KY, www.oakdalechristian.org.
Obituary submitted by family.
Arrangements: Royer’s New Salem Funeral Home Independence, MO 816-796-8600