Jeanette Wishna Obituary (2008) - Overland Park, Kansas

Jeanette Wishna, of Overland Park, passed away peacefully at home, after a brief illness, on April 7, 2008 at the age of 64. Jeanette’s husband of 35 years, Sheldon Wishna, and her son, Victor, were by her side. She is also fondly remembered by her aunts, Rosalyn Lerner, Frances Lerner, Helen Levy and by her numerous cousins, extended family and dear friends. The daughter of the late Ruth and Harry Lerner, Jeanette was born May 12, 1943 in Kansas City, MO. She graduated from Shawnee Mission East High School, and received a B.A. in Economics from Wellesley College. In 1965, she joined the Washington, D.C. staff of Congressman Robert Ellsworth. She worked as Ellsworth’s special assistant during Richard Nixon’s 1968 presidential campaign. Following Nixon’s election, Jeanette joined the White House staff until Ellsworth was appointed U.S. Ambassador to NATO. At this time, she met Sheldon and they were married in 1972. Two years later, Jeanette returned with her husband to her hometown of Kansas City. Over the next three-plus decades, she served in a variety of community leadership positions. She was chairman of B’nai B’rith Women’s Midwest Region and a member of its national executive board. She served as president of the Kansas City Wellesley Alumnae Club; president of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City; president of the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation; president of Congregation Beth Shalom; and chairman of the grants committee of the Jewish Heritage Foundation. She served on the boards of the Jewish Heritage Foundation, the Jewish Community Campus, the Jewish Community Center, the Jewish Federation and Menorah Medical Center. At the time of her passing, she was chairman of the Congregation Beth Shalom Foundation. Her lifelong loves included her family, her husband and her son, her friends, her community, animals, sports – particularly the Kansas City Chiefs – theatre and politics. She was a passionate proponent of Jewish learning and dedicated herself to the Jewish imperative to perform charity and acts of loving kindness. Jeanette had a gift for leadership, and for inspiring others to realize their own leadership abilities. She was always available to family, friends and colleagues for advice, support, and encouragement, and will be remembered and cherished for her love, humor, strength, intelligence, initiative and commitment. She was dearly loved and will be terribly missed by many, but will live on in their hearts and memories, and through the good acts of those who follow the example set by her life of service. A funeral service in memory of Jeanette will be held on Wednesday, April 9, at 1:00pm at Beth Shalom Synagogue, 9400 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO. Interment will follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery. Contributions in memory of Jeanette may be made to Congregation Beth Shalom, or the charitable organization of your choice.