Month: January 2021

Column: Mourning the loss of my niece to COVID-19

Window on the West

Opinion column

by Mary Rupert

Today was one of the saddest days in my recent memory, as I heard that my niece, JoEllen, has died from COVID-19 and complications.

Only 32 years old, JoEllen Flanagan Engelbart, an assistant prosecuting attorney in Jackson County, Missouri, had COVID-19 and went into a hospital in Missouri a few days before Christmas. We first heard that news on Christmas morning. She and Matt were expecting their first child, a son, Ross, who was delivered prematurely by C-section on Dec. 29. The baby went to the neonatal intensive care unit of another Missouri hospital.

JoEllen Engelbart

We were all heartbroken when we heard the news from the family that she died about 3:10 p.m. today. We heard from the family that her asthma and other complications made it a difficult struggle.

JoEllen was a talented young attorney who had received many awards. She served on the Missouri Bar Young Lawyers Section Council. She received the Up and Coming Public Service Award from the Missouri Lawyers Weekly in 2017. She was active in the Association of Women Lawyers, Kansas City Chapter. She was honored as an outstanding law student while attending the University of Missouri at Kansas City. During her undergraduate years at Truman State, she was the recipient of the President’s Medallion.

JoEllen was passionate about helping victims, and she also volunteered at the Rose Brooks Center.

We hadn’t seen her during the past year, as everyone is staying home, and with her extremely busy life, we didn’t see her very often at all. She wasn’t able to attend our Christmas dinner in December 2019, but we saw her two brothers that day. We didn’t invite people over for Christmas 2020 because of the pandemic. Probably the last time we saw her was at her brother’s wedding and related events in May 2019. She organized a bridal shower, and did a wonderful job with it, as she did with everything. She had an extremely demanding career.

Today I wondered if JoEllen knew that her late paternal grandfather, Thomas Flanagan Sr., also my father, had survived a bout with the flu in the pandemic of 1919, the year he was born.

Born in Kansas City, Kansas, JoEllen moved when she was a child with her family to Missouri, which also was where she and her husband later made their home. The oldest of three children, as a youngster she was always keeping her little brothers in line, and was very responsible. She also had a great sense of humor, and was very intelligent.

One thing that impressed me about JoEllen was what she said as a child when she was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. She said she wanted to be President. I certainly think that she would have been a great President.

A Go Fund Me page for expenses for Ross and Matt and the family has been set up at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-for-the-engelbart-family?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cp%20share-sheet&fbclid=IwAR31Ecdnwi95Hf1izF-D6alsxIj5coyBurLkVgb9GqHslFE45p-znKW2OvA.

To reach Mary Rupert, editor, email [email protected].

Faith news

Wyandotte County is in Phase 3 under Kansas Ad Astra reopening plan. Local health officials said under Phase 3, people should keep a distance of 6 feet between themselves and others. They may sit closer to people who live in their households. Also, people should wear masks and should wash hands or use hand sanitizer. There is a mask order in effect in Wyandotte County, requiring masks to be worn inside any public space.

Some faith groups are holding online or video services. In Wyandotte County, those who are older than 60 or who have other medical conditions should continue being very cautious, according to the Wyandotte County health officials. Those who are sick should stay home, according to officials.
More details about Wyandotte County health guidelines for churches are at https://www.wycokck.org/WycoKCK/media/Health-Department/Documents/Communicable%20Disease/COVID19/COVID-19GuidelinesForChurches.pdf.

Some churches have been changing their services as a result of COVID-19 restrictions for the community. Residents are advised to visit the social media page of their church or faith organization, or to call them or email them, to see changes that have been made to regular schedules, or if there are video services planned on Sunday.

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has information about churches reopening, Masses, and reflections, at https://www.facebook.com/archkck.

Blessed Sacrament, Christ the King and Our Lady and St. Rose Catholic churches have resumed in-person Masses. For more information, visit the churches’ websites or Facebook pages at https://www.facebook.com/Christ-the-King-Parish-KCKS-1392808997677579, https://www.facebook.com/BlessedSacramentkck, and https://www.facebook.com/ourladyandsaintrose/. Sunday Mass is online at https://www.facebook.com/BlessedSacramentkck.

Casa – Worship House Christian Church, 5217 Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, Kansas, will have services at 11 a.m. Sunday. The church has an online service at www.facebook.com/casadealabanzaKCKS. Check with the church’s social media page for more information on services. For more information, visit Facebook @casadealabanzaKCKS.

The First Christian Church of Bonner Springs, 148 N. Nettleton, Bonner Springs, is planning a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 12, at the fellowship hall. The blood drive will help the Community Blood Center of Greater Kansas City collect blood donations. There is a critical need for blood donations. Appointments are encouraged. To make an appointment, visit https://donate.savealifenow.org/.

Open Door Baptist Church, 3033 N. 103rd Terrace, Kansas City, Kansas, will have services in person with social distancing at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 3. There will be a livestream service at https://www.facebook.com/opendoorkc/ and https://www.opendoorkc.com/.

Stony Point Christian Church, 149 S. 78th St., Kansas City, Kansas, plans to livestream at 10:15 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 3, on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/StonyPointChristianChurch, and people are welcome to attend the service in person, using social distancing, masks and other health measures.

St. Patrick Catholic Church, Kansas City, Kansas, has a Mass online for Sunday, Jan. 3, at https://www.facebook.com/StPatrickKCK. St. Patrick Church also has in-person Masses.


St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1300 N. 18th St., Kansas City, Kansas, plans online services on its Facebook page and its website Sunday at https://www.stpaulskck.org/ and https://www.facebook.com/StPaulsKCK.

Sunset Hills Christian Church, 6347 Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, Kansas, plans to have services at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. For more information about this Sunday’s plans, visit the Facebook page of Pastor Mike Barnett, https://www.facebook.com/mike.barnett.528. Services are also provided through checkout of DVD or SD Card and can be sent by email upon request. People are welcome to attend the service in person using social distancing and other health measures. Masks are available or bring your own to wear.

Wyandotte United Methodist Church, 7901 Oakland Ave., will have a livestreamed service Sunday, Jan. 3, on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/Wyandotteumc/ or online on the website at www.wyandotteumc.com.

Information about other church services in Wyandotte County may be available from the church’s social media page.
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COVID-19 case numbers updated

Wyandotte County reported an increase of 193 COVID-19 cases on Friday, Jan. 1, according to the Unified Government’s COVID-19 webpage. There were a cumulative 14,769 cases. There were no additional deaths reported Friday, for a cumulative total of 198.

The Mid-America Regional Council Kansas City Region COVID-19 hub on Friday reported 123,779 total cumulative cases, with, 1,483 total cumulative deaths in the nine-county Kansas City region. The average number of new hospitalizations was 182.

On Friday, Kansas reported an increase of 5,312 COVID-19 cases since Wednesday. There was a cumulative total of 227,745 cases, according to Kansas Department of Health and Environment statistics. There was an increase of 138 deaths reported since Wednesday, for a cumulative total of 2,879 statewide.

The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Thursday reported 20,128,693 total cumulative cases in the United States, with 347,788 total deaths.

Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas received a COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 31. He sent out this statement: “I opted to receive the COVID vaccine not only to keep those around me safe, but because I think it’s important for everybody throughout our many different communities in Kansas City to know that the vaccine is safe, that it’s a fairly easy, painless process, and that this is the next step to addressing COVID-19—making sure our community is safe very broadly,” said Mayor Lucas. “I know that in some communities—certainly the African American community I’m from and others—some have had some concerns about the vaccine: it’s safety and whether it’s something they should do. I’m here to say that you should. It’s pretty painless, and, importantly, it’s an important tool that’s really going to help our community overcome COVID-19. As vaccine rollout continues throughout our community, effective, efficient and equitable distribution will be a top priority of Kansas City government in this new year.” (Photo from Mayor Lucas’s office)

Counties’ numbers reported

According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the counties with the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases on Friday in Kansas included:

Sedgwick County, 40,608
Johnson County, 39,696
Wyandotte County, 15,892
Shawnee County, 11,929
Reno County, 7,041
Douglas County, 6,346
Butler County, 5,493
Ford County, 5,182
Leavenworth County, 5,118

Free COVID-19 testing available Saturday

Free COVID-19 tests are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Pierson Community Center, 1800 S. 55th St., Kansas City, Kansas. Appointments are requested. Registration is at www.GoGetTested.com/Kansas. Check in advance to see if schedules change because of the weather.

The Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 test site at the former Kmart building at 78th and State will reopen on Monday, Jan. 4, with testing from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tests are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County. The tests are nasopharyngeal swab tests. The Health Department no longer uses saliva tests.

The tests now are open to asymptomatic people as well as those who have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. Check with the UG Health Department’s Facebook page to see if there have been any changes in the schedule. Bring something that shows that you live or work in Wyandotte County, such as a utility bill.

For other COVID-19 tests, visit www.GoGetTested.com/Kansas.

Testing sites are at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.

For more information about the testing site at the former Kmart location, visit https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/10092020_newtestingsitewyco.pdf.

To see information about the UG giving vaccines to health care workers, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/ug-to-start-giving-covid-19-vaccines-to-health-department-and-ems-personnel-next-week/.

The KDHE vaccine report is at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1708/COVID-19-Vaccine-Updates–123020-FINAL-PDF?bidId=.

Cards and letters of encouragement for caregivers at KU Health System may be sent to Share Joy, care of Patient Relations, 4000 Cambridge St., Mailstop 1021, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160. Emails can be sent to [email protected].

Wyandotte County is under a mandatory mask and social distancing order. Also, the Wyandotte County health order with a limit of 10 persons to a gathering, and a closing time of 10 p.m. for restaurants and bars, with other new restrictions, is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/11162020localhealthorderexecuted.pdf.

The UG COVID-19 webpage is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.

The KDHE’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/.

The KC Region COVID-19 Hub dashboard is at https://marc2.org/covidhub/.

The Wyandotte County page on the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 website is at https://bao.arcgis.com/covid-19/jhu/county/20209.html.

The CDC’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.