Ann G Dumay, 90, passed away peacefully February 23, 2025 at St. Luke’s South Hospital in Overland Park, Kansas. She was born June 7, 1934 in Sikeston, Missouri to Bert and Dorothy Gentry.A memorial service and celebration of life is set for Friday March 14, 2pm at the Village Presbyterian Church Sanctuary 6641 Mission Road, Prairie Village Kansas. Visitation immediately following in Friendship Hall. The service will be lived-streamed at Village Church
Ann grew up in Sikeston, in southeast Missouri, and graduated from Sikeston High School in 1952. She valued her Bootheel roots and throughout her life Ann lovingly tended her friendships born in Sikeston. She was selected by Sikeston’s American Legion to participate in Missouri Girls State and Ann’s avocations: music, theatre, reading, and cheering on her favorite sports teams were lifetime loves nurtured by her hometown.
In her youth, Ann was actively involved in choir–both at church and at school–and formed a much sought-after girls’ trio in Sikeston. She carried this love of music throughout adulthood by participating in church choirs and attending her beloved Kansas City Symphony. Ann instilled this same love for music in her children and faithfully attended every choir, band, or ballet performance and competition.
She loved tracking and watching sports–whether baseball, football, basketball, or horse racing, Ann would always root for the home team. One would expect no less from the former Vice-Cayenne of the Sikeston High Red Peppers Pep Squad.
Ann caught the theatre bug in high school and went on to perform with the Independence Young Matrons, Barn Players, and later in life,The Village Presbyterian Church. She was known for crafting memorable characters–most notably her portrayal of Sis Buzzard in “Livin’ Da Life” for the IYM Children’s Theatre is still hailed fifty years later by those lucky enough to have witnessed the show live.
Ann loved to read. Rarely found without a newspaper, book, or kindle nearby, her reading translated to a love of learning. At various seasons in life, Ann attended Southeast Missouri State and Johnson County Community College where she excelled in her studies. At various times in life, Ann served in administrative roles with a variety of organizations. As a young single woman, Ann worked for Berry, Patmore and Day accountants in Sikeston and Mallinckrodt Chemical in St Louis and later, for a short time, served a similar role in the office of the Dean of the UMKC School of Medicine and as a volunteer for Village Presbyterian. She was also Co-Owner of McCann’s House of Gifts in the mid-1960s, located next door to the Truman Library, with good friend Barbara Marsh. In the 1980s, Ann owned and operated the Thurman-Dumay Co in suburban Johnson Co. Kansas and devoted a number of years to serving with Kansas City’s Parents’ Anonymous both in an administrative role and fielding urgent calls through their hotline. While she made many treasured life-long friends in her many associations, Ann’s family always came first.
In 1957 Ann married her High School sweetheart Ron Dumay in Holly Springs, Mississippi. They lived in Tacoma, Washington and Columbia, Missouri where Ron was attending MU. After his graduation in 1960, they moved to Independence, Missouri where Ron began his career with Hallmark Cards. While living in Independence–and later Kansas City, Missouri–Ann served in the Jaycee Wives, Independence Young Matrons, and the Susquehanna Baptist Church Choir. They eventually hopped the state line, spending thirty years in Johnson County, Kansas.
Ann and Ron enjoyed 70 years together–building a home and family and many treasured friendships. She loved hosting holiday gatherings and regularly collected recipes to try out. Ron and Ann enjoyed traveling with their friends to various International and National spots but it was at home in Kansas City or at their winter home, Mt. Dora, Florida, where Ann thrived. In their final years, the Dumays took up residence at The Meadows at John Knox Village–a few short years but such important friendships. Following Ron’s passing in 2022, Ann moved back to Kansas and was lovingly attended by the excellent personnel at Claridge Court where Ann honed her first-rate Bingo and jig-saw puzzle skills.
She is preceded in death by her parents and sisters Jacqueline Wyrick and Dorothy Sue Gentry. Ann is survived by her brother Edward Gentry and his wife Rosemary of St. Louis and children David L. Dumay, Edmond, Oklahoma and Susan Dumay Wolfe, Prairie Village, Kansas. She is also survived by grandson Chris Dumay (Meghan) and great-granddaughters Penny and Coco, Nieces Kelli Bailiff Bowman and Becca Knowles Caldwell and Nephews Scott Knowles and Michael Dumay.
Ann’s maternal family, led by Edward Waters, has a rich history in the founding of America and the State of Missouri. Her 4x Grandfather was Richard Hayward Waters who served in the Militia and was Court administrator for the New Madrid Territory and later County from 1812-1818, and was appointed to the 1st Missouri legislature in 1820.
Ann was a loving and devoted Wife, Mother, Grandmother, and beloved GiGi, and we will miss her, her beautiful singing voice, and strong spirit. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Kansas City Symphony.
