Kristi Lou Voss-Hart
January 2, 1955 ~ December 19, 2020
Kristi Lou Voss-Hart, 65, loving mother and grandmother, lost her battle with ALS on Saturday, December 19, 2020. She was born on January 2, 1955 in Hutchinson, Kansas to Merrick and Jean Champlin. She had many chapters in her journey through life. She met many wonderful people at the places she worked and activities she enjoyed, mostly shopping. Kristi moved on to her final chapter in life so don't be sad for long, she had a wonderful life, and her journey is now complete. She has moved on to be with our Lord. She is preceded in death by her parents, Merrick and Jean Champlin; sister, Linda Carr; loving husband Oren "Nelson" Hart. Survived by her daughter, Megan (Ryan) Neaveill of Wichita; grandchildren, Brenden, Paige, Conner, and Eli Neaveill; sister, Janie (Keith) Potter of Mulvane, KS; brother-in-law, Doug Carr of Overland Park, KS. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established with: ALS Association Mid-America Chapter, 3450 N. Rock Rd. #211, Wichita, KS 67226. Private family graveside service. Services in care of Downing & Lahey Mortuary - East Chapel.
"We will depart from this life and yet never actually leave, for we leave behind all we have done and our lives continue on" -Unknown
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Kristi was like a sister to me and we had a lot of fun as kids and as adults! I will always remember the fun we had. I miss her but I know she is with The Lord and her family who passed before her.
So sad to hear this. Kristi’s life and my life were deeply intertwined through church experiences during junior high, high school, and beyond. So many good times and memories; church youth retreats, backpacking trips, youth group meetings and bible studies. She was a core member of the pack and often the only girl. Though we drifted apart later in life with marriages, geography, and all that often separates people, I thought of her often. She has always had a special place in my history and my heart, go with God, Kris and bless you Megan. Greg Parker
I’ll always remember camping with Kristi and her family. There were several of us in the neighborhood that had trailers and we would all go camping almost every weekend. The Hideout with its bag swing was a favorite and the lake at Salt Plains in Oklahoma. I’ll always remember those good times. I wish I had kept up with you Kristi but I know you’re in a much better place!!
I find myself reflecting on so many things right now that were important to Kristi and I keep remembering how devoted she was to her four grandkids. Her love and support for their busy activities, the time she took in sharing her skills of crocheting and sewing and her passion for games will be memories her grandkids can hold on to forever. My heart aches for the loss of you Kristi, my dear sister, as God has called you home and you are no longer suffering. Jane Potter December 21, 2020 | Family
Megan and family, I met Kristi at camp when we were teenagers and then we reconnected in our 20’s. Kristi was energetic and a very unique, super friendly person. We played volleyball and softball together and had lots of fun. I lost touch with her when she moved away, and was unable to find her. I didn’t know she moved back in Wichita, and would have loved to have seen her. So glad she was able to enjoy all her grandchildren and family surrounding her with love. I am just really sad I did not get to see her again. So sorry for your loss.
Made like Him, like Him We Rise… I knew Kris for most of the first one-third of her life. She was, very much like Greg Parker said, an integral part of everything that constituted our life as the youth of Broadway Christian Church, during the whole of the 1970’s, and somewhat beyond. It was our time. From all of those special years that nurtured, sustained, shaped and molded us through various, maybe countless Youth Groups, Bible Studies, Youth Choirs/Celebration Singers, youth retreats, summer trips, camping, Backpacking, supportive families, and on and on, I remember her wonderful smile, her naturally infectious laugh, and her Big Personality. How she could be very intense about various things, yet very kind, caring, and connected. Always there. Then, as times passes, as we all know, we move on into other areas of life. We promise ourselves that we’ll keep in touch with those whom we’ve shared so much, made so many many memories with. But life being what it is, we loose track of each other unintentionally. We see it happening, but feel a certain helplessness in being able to prevent it. Our river widens. When I learned that Kris was no longer with us, I was almost immediately saddened and swept up in waves of depressive disbelief. Despite the years that have passed since, where I have known very little of her life, I’m still drawn back to those days of good times, good memories, of her, who she was, and what all of us meant to each other. Had I been far more aware, known a lot more than the little that I did, that she had begun to suffer severely in more recent years, I would have unquestionably reconnected, and tried to be supportive for her, if at all possible. That she is no longer so undeservedly miserable and suffering, but with our Lord in a place of no pain, unending love, and great joy and happiness is satisfying. That she is no longer here with us is something we will just have to get used to. Save us a seat at the show Kris, if you would please. We’ll be along presently. . . Bless you Kris, for so many memories. “Oh very young, what did you leave us this time…” (Cat Stevens) Harris C. McGuire
I was blessed with Greg and Harris to be friends with Kristi in the youth group at Broadway Christian Church. Although they were a few years ahead it didn’t matter. Everyone was included once into Junior High. Kristi had an amazing amount of energy and was also very engaged on the sport side. Whether volleyball (usually organized by Bob Willis) or softball or basketball – she was in the midst of it. As Greg mentioned she was glad to engage with or against any guy and had a high standard for effort. We all worked in transforming a house to be demolished next to the church into a Haunted House which was a project with neighborhood kids and a success (with Jacob’s Ladders buzzing in the windows). The shared trips to Colorado and backpacking with Harris, Greg, Linda and Kenny Parker (of blessed memory) were times of deepening friendships, growing in Christ, and general learning. Kenny and Kristi were close and very much equal in dishing and receiving good-hearted exchanges. Also on those adventures were Randy Bottorff and Mike McIrvin. A significant shared experience of serious effort and bonding was a work trip to Big Thompson Canyon after the 1976 flash flood organized by Alan Mace with Phil and Myrna Hoyle. About 30 of us excavated a small family owned motel that was filled with silt to the ceiling in some rooms. Kristi put in yoe(wo)man’s work. We found things that were later returned to visitors who had escaped the wall of water. The owners were blessed to have a contribution toward recovery and we were also. Another good memory is going through Dillards in various years with my mom (Gayle) at Towne East Square – looking just to see if Kristi were on shift. Kristi was so much fun to see that my mom sometimes made a detour through the entire mall just in case we might spend a few minutes with her. Sometimes she also managed to sell us something. ALS is such a terrible disease – it took ‘Iron Horse’ Lou Gehrig, a friend, Peter Burton, and (Iron Butterfly?!) Kristi – who I suspect was never out of the fight. We love you Kristi. “Christ is risen from the dead / trampling down death by death / and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.” We know who prevails in the end, on the other side of Christmas and a day before your birthday… Kirk Allison (Saint Paul, MN)