Dorothy’s Obituary Dorothy Marie Sipp Nestor passed away early morning, May 7, 2019. Dorothy was born July 25, 1919, in Kansas City, MO, the middle daughter of the late Charles V. and Emma B. Schaffner Sipp, and proudly the wife of the late John Thomas “Jack” Nestor. Dorothy, despite several heartbreaks, deemed she was privileged to have lived a charmed life; she was always prayerfully grateful.
To all who knew Dorothy, her life journey was of faith, family, and friendship. Reared on 34th Jefferson Street in Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Redemptorist) Catholic Parish, Dorothy adored her “daddy” and “mama”. Dorothy had a loving and close relationship with her sisters, Mildred and Eleanor, and with neighborhood and school buddies, Libby Powers Schloegel, Janet Cauley Stephenson and Helen Ashe Muenks, later adding two very dear neighbor friends, Rosie Oades and Ruth Ann Santee Swander.
Dorothy graduated from Redemptorist grade school, high school, and St. Teresa’s College (Avila). Helping to finance her college education, Dorothy taught Kindergarten at Redemptorist. After graduation, Dorothy was accepted to be a TWA hostess.
Dorothy’s parents concerned about aviation convinced her to accept another position at TWA as the Administrative Assistant to the Legal Department. She also worked for Commerce Trust Company before marrying. After her children were grown, Dorothy returned to work for the Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City based at Rockhurst University.
According to legend, after Sunday Mass at Redemptorist, Dorothy met the guy with the beautiful smile and twinkle in his eye, Jack T. Nestor. Jack swept Dorothy off her dancin’ feet, marrying her in November, 1942. Dorothy, a descendent of German, French, and Austrian heritage, believed she officially received a liberal education when joining the 100% Irish Waters-Nestor families.
Her parents thought the same. Before settling down as lifelong Kansas City residents, Dorothy and Jack lived a brief time in Baltimore, Maryland while Jack completed his commitment to the Army during WWII. In 1953, the Nestors found their way to the “it takes a village” neighborhood block of Concord and her beloved Visitation Catholic Parish.
Neighbors partied together on Saturdays and prayed together at Mass on Sundays. The Nestor family settled into their new house, a home for over 65 years. Dorothy called it her forever home providing a warm, loving, but firm, comfortable retreat for her husband, Jack, and five children.
The Nestor back door was always open for company and Dorothy was always willing to provide a helping hand. Dorothy enjoyed working in the yard and gardening. She especially enjoyed sitting, sunning, and reading on the patio she and Jack constructed, or spending time at the lake log cabin her daddy built.
She was an accomplished seamstress, dressing her daughters alike for many Christmas and Easter holidays. After a sit down with Msgr. Arthur Tighe, Msgr.
, finally agreed, yes, Dorothy could make her daughters uniforms! Realizing her skill, Msgr. Tighe began asking Dorothy to sew altar cloths and maintain the linens for the parish.
After lining the Tabernacle, Dorothy was thrilled she decorated Jesus’ home! Dorothy was a talented painter and took pride in keeping her home “scrubby Dutch clean”. At age 95, Dorothy was volunteering as part of the Senior Ministry Team at Visitation.
Dorothy and Jack loved entertaining and traveling. While flourishing in their many travels, they were always content being home. Home will forever hold their spirit.
Most importantly, family made her home; family came first. Dorothy cherished her husband and children. Also preceding Dorothy in death in 2016 was her dearly loved daughter, Mary Emily Casey; her sisters, Sister Dorothy Eleanor Sipp, CSJ, and Eleanore Sipp Wilkes.
Dorothy, a life of high energy, spunky, and sometimes feisty, is an example of aging graciously, spiritually, and with humor and acceptance. Today, Mother’s Day, May 12, is a perfect opportunity to declare our mom, Dorothy Sipp Nestor, as one of the finest and dearest of moms and g’ma. After each visit with family, Dorothy would say a goodbye with “thank you, I love you, God bless you”.
Mom, thank you, we love you, God is smiling and blessing you, your son, John C. Nestor; daughters and son-in laws, Jeanne and Patrick Crawford, Nancy and Michael Hand, Colleen and Sam Enna and son-in-law, Ben Casey; grandchildren, Mary Nestor, Jack Nestor, Kelly (Ben) VanMaren, Ryan (Maggie) Crawford, Conor Nestor Crawford, Michael (Sarah) Casey, Patrick (Jenny) Casey, Colleen (Paul) Schmidt, Michaela (Jason) Soyland, Sean Hand, Joseph T. Hand, Anne Enna (Tim Hedrick), Matthew Enna, Katie (Adam) Hobson; great grandchildren, Lucy and Connor VanMaren, Joseph, Samuel, and Catherine Crawford, Thomas, Abraham, Violet and Lola Casey, Evelyn and Rosemary Casey, Charlie and Cecilia Schmidt, and Arthur Soyland. The Nestor family is grateful and thankful for the staff of Brookdale Wornall and Crossroads Hospice. Private family Rosary and Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Visitation Catholic Church, interment Calvary Cemetery.
In honor of Dorothy, a donation may be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society, Visitation, 5141 Main, KCMO 64112 or the established Jack and Dorothy Sipp Scholarship Fund, St. Teresa’s Academy, 5600 Main, KCMO 64113.
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