Angela Kiefer

Angela Marie Kiefer -- of Kansas City, Missouri -- died peaceably at The Groves-Rosewood Health Center in Independence, Missouri on Sunday, January 26, 2014 at the age of 88. Angie was a wife, mother, teacher, lover of people, and lover of Jesus.Angela Marie Reda (aka Angie) was born on October 8, 1925 in Cherokee, Kansas to Mike and Antonette Reda. Mike Reda Jr., immigrated from Paterno Calabro, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy ; he settled in Cherokee, Kansas where he met and married Antonette Naccarato. Angie and her family lived among a gathering of six homes owned by her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. In 1940, Angie’s mother died when she was 14. In 1945, her father married Fummie Naccarato (Angie’s mother’s sister and her aunt). No one else could have loved Angie and Saverio (Angie’s brother) and their families more than their Step-Mama/Aunt Fummie. In 1950, Angie met Carl Wilson Kiefer. They were married on September 17, 1955. They had two children: a daughter, Rita Marie and a son, Christopher Michael. Angie was the valedictorian of her high-school. She graduated from Kansas State Teacher’s College in 1946 where she accomplished her pre-med studies in three years and was the salutatorian of her graduating class. She attended medical school at Kansas University in Lawrence, Kansas with the goal of becoming a medical doctor. Sickness caused her to leave school. In 1949, Angie moved to Kansas City, Missouri to work and attend classes at St. Mary’s Hospital. She became a medical technologist and worked in this field until her children were born.Angie started teaching in the 1960s. Although she taught children K through 12, she most loved working with young children with learning disabilities. In 1979 she got her Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis on Learning Disabilities from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri. She taught learning disabled grade-school children until she retired in December 1990. Angie was active in many church, civic, and teachers associations. She was a member of Evangel Temple Assembly of God in Kansas City, MO. She was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa teachers’ sorority - an International Honorary Organization for Women Educators. Angie was active in many Republican Women’s political clubs, she was a delegate to the 1968 Republican Convention, and was invited to the first presidential inauguration of Richard Nixon. Angie was preceeded in death by her husband-Carl Kiefer; biological mama-Antonette Reda; papa-Mike Reda Jr, step-mama/aunt-Fummie Reda; grandparents Gaetano and Mary Naccarato; grandparents Saverio and Angelina Reda; and daughter-in-law Susan Kiefer. Angie is survived by her daughter-Rita Marie Medall and husband, Burton (Valencia, CA); son-Christopher Michael Kiefer (Kansas City, MO); brother-Saverio (Sam) Reda and wife Karen (Topeka, Kansas) and their daughters Lisa and Michelle; sister-in-law-Velma Thompson (Keokuk, IA); step-grandchildren Airon Williams and Becky Saye; and many cousins.Angie loved music, loved to sing, won many singing contests while in school, and sang in school and church choirs all of her life. Angie loved her family and friends, loved children, and loved being with people. Most of all Angie loved her Savior, Jesus Christ. The family encourages donations made in her name to the “missions fund” at Evangel Temple Assembly of God, 1414 E 103rd St. Kansas City, MO 64131.Services will be held at Carson (Speaks) Funeral Chapel, 1501 W Lexington Independence, MO 64052. Visitation from 6-8 p.m. on Monday, February 17, 2014. Funeral at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, February 18, 2014. Burial following the funeral will be at Mount Washington Cemetery in Independence, MO. Online condolences may be expressed at www.speakschapel.com (Arrangements: Carson-Speaks Chapel (816) 252-7900)