Joan A. Gilchrist

Joan A. Gilchrist (or Diamond Lil as her husband used to call her) passed away at the age of 81 in the company of her children and grandchildren on the morning of Thursday June 19th. Joan was born on June 24, 1943, in Kansas City, MO to Samuel Edna and Mary Petullo. She married Owen L. Gilchrist on April 24, 1964. Joan pursued many occupations in life starting as a beautician and then preparing taxes at HR Block. She left HR Block to devote her time to raising her children until they were all in school. When she went back to work, she changed sides and started working for the IRS reviewing tax returns for large corporations. Then an opportunity arose for her to take over a struggling business. So, she quit the IRS and started running the business her father-in-law started, Gilchrist Flowers. Joan breathed new life into the business and it started to thrive. She ran the business until her husband got too sick and she had to sell so that she could take care of him. After her husband passed away in May of 1997, Joan sold her lake house and started a new chapter as a Snow Bird – spending winters in in McAllen, TX, and her summers with her family in Kansas City. Joan spent many years traveling back and forth to Texas until two years ago when she became too sick to travel, even with the help of her son. Until the end, her thoughts were of getting better so that she could return to spending the winters in southern Texas.

She is preceded in death by her husband (Owen Gilchrist), father (Sam Enna), mother (Mary Enna), brother (Jerry Enna), stepson (Tom Gilchrist), and granddaughter (Lisa Crail).

Joan is survived by her children Mary Moreland and Owen Gilchrist, brother Pete (Kay) Enna, grandchildren Angela (Ryan) Lee and two great-grandchildren, Kara (Anthony) Mange and three great-grandchildren, Lura Gilchrist, Mary Chris (Glenn) McDowell and four great-grandchildren.

The visitation is scheduled for 10 AM with the service to follow at11 AM on June 25th at Park Lawn Funeral Home at 8251 Hillcrest Rd in Kansas City. After the service, she will be transported to Forest Hill & Calvary Cemetery at 6901 Troost Ave in Kansas City where she will be buried. All are welcome to attend.

Instead of flowers, please send donations to Wayside Waifs.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission hospital and Hospice House of Kansas City for their compassion and the care they provided to Joan and her family. Words cannot express our gratitude to the staff of these institutions.