Holly Fischl Giloth

Born on March 29, 1947 in New York, New York, Holly was the oldest of four children. After graduating from West Nottingham Academy in 1966, Holly attended Bradley University, where she met and eventually married Kirk Giloth. Holly and Kirk spent almost two decades in the Pacific Northwest. While there, Holly developed a passion for running, cooking and rainy days by the ocean shore. She raised two children, Ian and Gretchen, and developed a close community of friends. Holly and Kirk divorced in 1988 after relocating to the Kansas City area.

Holly thrived in the Midwest. She met Barbara McAleer while working in the office at Leawood Middle School, and the two would become partners until Holly’s death. Holly was a lifelong learner which contributed significantly to her to return to college to obtain her associate degree. Along the way, she rekindled her love of art, and cultivated an interest in culture and adventure; she traveled the world with curious joy whenever possible.

Holly played passable softball and terrible golf, but she was near-perfect at Bocce Ball. She loved to laugh -- and make others laugh. She was an intrepid gardener, staunch KU and Chiefs fan, and very loyal friend. She never met a chocolate chip cookie she didn’t like. She adored her (many, neurotic) Golden Retrievers and often told stories of their terrible (endearing) behavior.

Holly received a heart transplant in 2014, and this was her greatest gift. Already a survivor of breast cancer, Holly embraced the last decade of her life with tremendous gratitude. Possessed with the desire to live each day as fully as possible, Holly devoted much of her time to volunteering for the St. Luke’s Cardiac Transplant Unit. She rededicated herself to being a partner, mother, grandmother, and sister. She loved watching the birds in her yard; planting tomatoes in the spring, and baking entirely too many Christmas cookies. Holly was most happy when she was surrounded and supported by her family and friends: laughing, eating, loving.

Holly is missed terribly by those who survive her, including: Barbara McAleer, her partner of more than 30 years; Ian (Brenda) Giloth and Gretchen (Gabriel) Parkison; her five grandchildren: Reid and Audrey Giloth of Greensboro, NC, and Emmett, Ewan and Pippa Parkison, of Kansas City, MO; and her siblings, Eric Fischl (April Gornik), of Sag Harbor, NY; John (Lisa Helseth) Fischl, of Phoenix, AZ; and Laurie (Michael) Valichnac of San Tan, AZ; and her countless friends.

The family wishes to thank the St. Luke’s Cardiac Transplant Unit for their steadfast dedication to Holly’s health and wellbeing over the past decade; and to Brian, from whom Holly’s greatest gift was given. We are forever grateful.