Kyle Messerli

Kyle Vincent Messerli (29) passed tragically on August 5, 2020, at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission in Overland Park, KS, at peace and surrounded by his loving family.

Kyle was born on February 9, 1991, in Kansas City, Missouri. He attended St. Ann Catholic School, Rockhurst High School, and Kansas State University, where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

A chubby, happy baby, Kyle grew into a handsome, sensitive, and thoughtful young man. He was his big brother’s greatest admirer and was extremely proud of his little sister.

A builder and creator at heart, Kyle’s passion for LEGO sets as a child grew into a fascination with architecture and a career in the construction industry.

Kyle loved nature and animals. He relished family hikes in the mountains, coasts, and countryside. From the wilderness of Big Sur to the mountains of Colorado, to the beaches of Mexico, to the Ligurian coast in Italy, Kyle was never as happy as when he was surrounded by his family away from the distractions and pressures of modern life.

Never without a beloved pet (or a menagerie of pets), including his adopted cat Maeby, Kyle was also a pet-sitter extraordinaire for many families. He soaked up animal trivia and loved watching nature shows

Kyle loved cooking — especially Italian cuisine — and often delighted family and friends with his creations. One of his favorite experiences was the private cooking class his family took at a small farmhouse in the hills of Tuscany.

A little mischievous at heart and with a wry sense of humor, Kyle was always right in the middle of goofy antics with his big brother and his cousins at family gatherings.

Kyle’s life was a precious gift to his family for 29 wonderful years and continues to be to many others, including the four people whose lives have been saved by his selfless gift of organ donation. He will be remembered for his curiosity, his love of animals, his creative mind, his thoughtful, kind, generous spirit, and his deep love of his family and friends.

He is survived by his parents, Joellen (O’Byrne) and Rob Messerli of Prairie Village, KS, his brother Robbie Messerli of Overland Park, his sister Marianna Messerli of Washington DC, his grandmother Mary Jo O’Byrne of Prairie Village, and many aunts, uncles and cousins. He is preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Robert D. O’Byrne, and his paternal grandparents, Bob and Peggy Messerli.

A funeral mass will be held at St. Ann Catholic Church in Prairie Village at 5:30 pm on Thursday, August 13, 2020. In compliance with social distancing requirements, seating will be limited to 110 people plus family. For those unable to attend in person, the mass will be live streamed on https://www.stannpv.org/  and on https://www.facebook.com/stanncatholicpv.  Burial will be private. Assistance by Funeral Advocates, LLC.

In lieu of flowers, Kyle’s family requests that donations be offered to Great Plains SPCA (www.greatplainsspca.org) and Wayside Waifs (www.waysidewaifs.org).