News about KC Singles and Singles Groups
This is a page for posting news about our single friends in the area. The type news we could post here includes both the good (marriages, achievements, awards, honors, etc.) as well as the sad  (accidents, deaths, etc.). Hence, if you have news to share about a local single person, please email us that information. Please include your name and phone number and some way we can verify the information. Thanks!

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Died: Joan Belle Anderson Blackwell.  Joan passed from this life for the next on January 23, 2007. She was a member of Knox Presbyterian Church in Overland Park and a member and past officer of Diplomats singles group.

New Singles Leader at Country Club Christian Church.  Jamie Gehrke is the new singles director at Country Club Christian Church, 61st and Ward Parkway, KC, MO. He started his new position on September 15, 2006 and serves part-time. He is a first-year student at St. Paul School of Theology and hopes to be a lead pastor someday in the United Methdist system. He is from southwest Missouri and is married (his wife is a teacher in the Park Hill School District) with two children. Jamie has spent most of his working life in non-profits, either juvenile corrections or community development (he has a bachelor's degree in Crime & Society).  You may contact him at jamie.gehrke@spst.edu.

Died: Tom Ellis. Tom passed from this life into the next on Monday, January 1, 2007. Tom lived in Gardner, KS and was active in the singles group at the Church of the Resurrection UM Church where he sang in the contemporary choir. He is forever 61.

St. Mark's Singles Group Closing: The singles group that has been connected with St. Mark's Catholic Church, Independence, MO, for years, has now closed due to a lack of volunteer leaders. Even though the group now has closed, their grief recovery program will continue. Persons interested should contact Betsy Bain at the church office, 816-373-2600 ext 228.

Married: Bob Cunningham and Susan Jordan, on November 25, 2006, Kansas City. They were high school sweethearts then reunited a couple years ago. Congrats to Bob and Susan..

New Leader for The Independents: Kathy Gross is the new leader of the Independents Adult Ministry with the First United Methodist Church of Blue Springs. She officially stepped in effective July 22, 2006 as their previous leader, Ron Gordanier, has decided to get married. The Independents is a non denominational group that has been around for over 20 years and Kathy has been a member for a little over a year while serving on the mission committee and the travel organizer.  She says, "The Independents has been a god-send for me.  With my new roll I hope to see the Independents grow stronger and better. I hope that it will be an exciting time for me and the other members. We are always open to new people and I encourage any single to come, visit and stay a while if you like. If you have questions, you can contact me at kathy_gross2000@yahoo.com (don't forget the underline mark _ between kathy and gross) or by phone at (816) 651-5418." Associate Pastor Karen Taylor is the staff director of the organization. 

Died: Marie Rosebud (Reeker) Opfer passed from this life into life eternal on Friday, Dec. 16, 2005. She was the president of the Lunch Bunch, a group of singles who meet for breakfast every Saturday morning. 

Died: Dorothy Bioff passed from this life into life eternal on Saturday, April 16, 2005. Dorothy was an active member of several singles groups during her life and was one of the founders of Village Singles back in 1978 (?). She was also the co-compliler with Don Davidson for the first nine editions of the Guide to Singles Groups in the KC Area (originally known as Alternatives for KC Singles.)  She died after a courageous battle with cancer and is survived by her son, John, and daughter, Linda. Her obituary was in the KC Star, April 20.

Married: Sheri Esquivel and Charles Wilson on April 10, 2005. Overland Park. They met in the Singles Chapel in 2004. Congrats to Sheri and Charles.

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