Ellen and Leonard McKinzie

Ellen and Leonard McKinzie's story is one of faith planted deeply in rural Missouri soil and carried faithfully into a lifetime of service in Kansas City.

Both were born during the Great Depression and raised on farms in rural Missouri. Life was simple and often hard, but it was anchored in strong Catholic families. Leonard was one of six children and became the first in his family to graduate from a Catholic high school…an achievement he pursued with quiet determination. As a young man, he repeatedly told his father, "I need to finish high school." Even then, he understood that education mattered, and that faith and learning went hand in hand.

Ellen's childhood carried its own special story. In second grade, she made her First Communion in a tiny rural class. The following year, there was only one little girl in the class preparing for the sacrament. Rather than let her receive alone, Ellen made her First Communion again so her classmate wouldn't feel alone-a small but telling example of the compassion that would define her life.

For both of them, being Catholic was not simply part of their identity. It shaped their daily routine. After they married and moved to Overland Park, they attended 6:15 a.m. Mass every morning, first at Holy Trinity and later at Cure of Ars. Their faith shaped their daily routines, guided their relationships, and influenced every choice they made.

Leonard began his career working for A&P before opening his own grocery store, United Supers, in the early 1960s. With three young children at home, the risk was significant, but so was his resolve. Through hard work and determination, he built a thriving business. Eventually, he was able to purchase land and return to his agricultural roots by raising cattle. Ellen was his steady partner in all of it. She raised their four children, kept the books for the business and his many charitable efforts, and managed a busy household with grace.

Their children, Mark, Linda, Carol, and Paul, were all educated in Catholic schools, first at Holy Trinity and later at Cure of Ars, with the boys attending Rockhurst and the girls attending Sion. Catholic education was never up for debate. It was essential. Leonard's own determination to finish high school and Ellen's lifelong devotion to the faith made it clear to their children that Catholic schools formed both mind and soul.

Leonard's generosity toward the Church was practical and immediate. If the nuns needed transportation, they got it, even if it meant he would walk to work so they could use his car. If a priest called about a family in need downtown, Leonard would load boxes of groceries from his store and deliver them personally. When a school furnace failed, he gathered business contacts and raised the necessary funds. He was closely connected with leaders like Tom Zarda, Rich Henry, and Superintendent Blake Mulvaney through the Gardner Fund, working tirelessly to strengthen Catholic school infrastructure and expand access for families. His goal was simple: make sure schools had what they needed to function and help more children attend them.

He supported numerous Catholic efforts, including the Serra Club and the Sister Servants of Mary, and helped launch SnowBall in its early days. He was a close friend of Archbishop Keleher and contributed to the John Paul II Cultural Center at his request. In 1999, he and Ellen donated land for St. Paul's parish in Olathe, dreaming of the day they would see a school built there.

At the heart of all their philanthropy was Leonard's oft-repeated conviction: "We've been so blessed, we have to give back because it's so important." Their giving was never about recognition. It was about gratitude. Faith, family, and values were ever present in their minds and hearts and guided every decision.

That commitment extended into their estate plans. They designated 20 percent of their assets to a donor-advised fund that benefits the Catholic Education Foundation and their other favorite charities, ensuring their support of Catholic schools and the Church would continue to form students in faith, knowledge, and service for generations to come. Through that fund, their legacy lives on-strengthening schools, supporting priests, and forming young people in the faith they cherished.

Ellen and Leonard left rural Missouri with little more than determination and belief in God's faithfulness. What they built in Overland Park was family, business, community, and enduring generosity. And that stands as a testament to a life lived faithfully and with eternity in mind.