Cecilia Esther Raske

Reverend Cecilia E. Raske-Barnett, 74, of Blue Springs, Missouri passed away on Valentines Day, Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at St. Marys Medical Center in Blue Springs. Memorial graveside services will be held at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at the McKendree Cemetery south of Odessa, MO on Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 1:00 p.m., a memorial service will be held at the Second Presbyterian Church at 318 East 55th St., Kansas City, MO 64113, (816) 363-1300. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to the Cecilia E. Raske-Barnett Memorial Fund. Arrangements are entrusted to the Ralph O. Jones Funeral Home, 306 S. Second St., Odessa, MO, (816) 633-5524. Cecilia was born on January 31, 1938 in Cali, Columbia, South America to Moises and Bernice (Barnett) Gonzalez. She graduated from East High School in Kansas City, MO in 1955, she then graduated from Central Methodist University in Fayette, MO in 1959. She later obtained two masters degrees, one in Christian Education and a second, an MDIV, Masters of Divinity Degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois. She was a member of the Presbyterian USA and the Gray Panthers. Cecilia was the camp coordinator for the Parkville Presbyterian Church Camp in Parkville, MO, she loved playing the piano, pipe organ, teaching dramatic dance and spending time with her family and friends. Survivors include her two children, a daughter, Christine Best of Austin, TX and a son, former Wellington youth director, John Peter Raske of Blue Springs, MO; a granddaughter, Callie Elizabeth Best of Abilene, TX; two brothers, Ned Gonzalez of Independence, MO and Norman Gonzalez of Kansas City, MO. She was also related to the Twenty family from Napoleon, MO and the Helphreys from Odessa. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents Ewing and Florence Barnett of Odessa.