Lois Irene Mcgovern

A Memorial Mass for Lois Irene McGovern, 90, of Lawrence, will be held at 6:00 p.m. Monday, January 27, 2020, at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Lawrence. A rosary will be said prior to the Mass at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 28, 2020, at Leavenworth National Cemetery in Leavenworth, KS. Lois passed away Wednesday, January 1, 2020, at Hillside Village of De Soto, KS. She was born on November 17, 1929 in Colorado Springs, CO, the daughter of Nelse and Irene H. (Neer) Peterson.

Lois attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs, CO, and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She met Hal McGovern at CC and they were married on February 26, 1949, in Colorado Springs, CO. He preceded her in death on July 5, 1997. She is survived by their eight children: Kathy Spicer (Tom), Loveland, CO, Cheryl Messerschmidt (Kelvin), Lawrence, KS, Dan McGovern (Teresa), Mukilteo, WA, Beth Dechant (Darrell), St. Louis, Mo, Colin McGovern (Jodi), Aurora, CO, Ken McGovern (Beckie), Lawrence, KS, Cindy O’Toole, Lawrence, KS, Pam Aubry (Steve), Longmont, CO, and 21 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren.

Also surviving are a sister, Lee Turner, nephews Brian Peterson (Cindy), George Kemper, John McGovern (Dar), Marty McGovern, Andy Rice (Chris), Mike Rice (Linette), Steve Rice (Leslie) and Cienna Morey.

Lois worked as an office secretary at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Garden City, KS and later in the Finney County Clerk’s office from 1968 to 1972. After the family move to Lawrence, she was an Administrative Officer for the Douglas County Clerk’s Office until retiring in 1993.

Lois was also an active member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church, involved with the Altar Society, a weekly spiritual book club, a founding member of the Serra Club, helped with funeral dinners, and served as Eucharistic Minister. Lois and Hal were on the building committee for the new church in 1981 and 1997. In addition, Lois was an active in the American Legion Auxiliary and other community services.

Lois had many talents and hobbies over the years, including family camping, singing and playing piano, exceptional seamstress work, knitting, needle point and gardening. She never met a stranger so was a surrogate mother, friend, and grandmother to hosts family nieces, nephews and her children’s friends.

Lois was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother, Donald Peterson, niece Kristen Peterson Kemper.

Memorials may be made in her name to Douglas County Visiting Nurses (Hospice) and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13 ^th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.