Obituary

Bobby Joe Merrifield, age 63, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at Menorah Medical Center in Overland Park, Kansas. Bob was born on September 17, 1954 in Anacortes, Washington to Bobby Joe Allen and Nora Maye Merrifield. Bob met his wife Donna in the kitchen where they both worked at the Sheraton Hotel in April 1980. Bob and Donna were married on July 21, 1982 at Cruz Bay Baptist Church in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands (where Bob once lived).
Bob was the Executive Chef at Park Place Hotel from 1981 to 1984. In September 1984, he and his wife Donna opened a restaurant “Merrifield’s Restaurant” at Woodson Village in Raytown, MO. They closed the restaurant in September 1986. Bob then went to work as the head Chef at Two Rivers Hospital. He cooked the first meal in that kitchen and continued his career at the hospital until March 2018.

Bob was a man who loved his family unconditionally and often pulled pranks on those around him. He was a caring and generous man, always putting everyone else and their needs before his needs. He thrived on the outdoors including fishing, camping, and arrowhead hunting with the grandkids. He loved collecting treasures while metal detecting, local history, NASCAR, and was a big fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals.

Bob was also a talented artist who painted in his free time. In his younger years, he showcased his work at Lee’s Summit’s Downtown Days and October Fest winning a blue ribbon on his painting “Petticoat Lane”. He also did pictures of Longview Farm’s Mansion and the Barn which now hang in the elementary school, also winning a ribbon. He donated a painting to Gillis Home for Children for them to use as a Christmas card (it was the best-selling Christmas card that year).
Bob is preceded in death by Bobby Joe Allen (father), Nora Maye Merrifield-Davis (mother), Helen Allen (paternal grandmother), and Otha Dale and Tressie Merrifield (maternal grandparents), Tracy Davis (sister), and Brandon Davis (nephew).

Survivors include Donna Merrifield (wife), Shawna McDuffy (daughter), Dylan, Andrew, and Tyler McDuffy (grandsons), Abbigail Green (granddaughter), Tanner McDuffy (great-grandson), Kim Smith (Rick), Kelly Kuns (Sid), Mark Davis (Randy McDonald) and, Tania Davis (siblings), Sylvia McCoy (mother-in law), Marion Shaw (father-in-law) and Marci Shaw (step mother-in law), Peggy Shaw and Marti Margo (sister-in-law’s), and many nieces and nephews.

Bob’s Celebration of Life will be held at Langsford Funeral Home (115 SW 3rd Street, Lee’s Summit, MO 64063) on Monday, May 14, 2018 starting with visitation from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and then a service. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Bob’s favorite charities: Show Me Christian Children’s Home, R.E.A.P, or Wayside Waifs, or a charity of your choice.