Romona Mae Arp

Romona M. Arp, 94, passed away peacefully at home Sunday, May 21, 2023, in the presence of her family after a brief illness.

She was born on Thanksgiving Day, November 29, 1928, at home near Emmett, Kansas, the seventh child of Michael L. Reilly and Victoria M. (Hrenchir) Reilly.

She graduated from Emmett Rural High School in 1947, moved to Topeka, and established herself as an independent, self-sufficient woman. She worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield and Teamsters Local 696 before joining her husband on an Air Force tour of duty in Japan.

She married Emil Lawrence Arp on February 8, 1958, at Assumption Catholic Church in Topeka. He preceded her in death on June 9, 2008.

She was 57-year member of Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Topeka and participated in weekly Perpetual Adoration at the parish for 30 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Michael, Martin, Harold Francis, Edward, James Kenneth, John and Patrick; two sisters, Mary Rita Young and Joan Theresa Reilly.

She is survived by daughters Ann Marie Arp, Linda Hatcher (John), son Michael (Andrew Sagartz), granddaughter Katherine Anne Hatcher, and grandson John Truman Hatcher III (Jessica Garlock), and great-granddaughter Charlette Hatcher, and sister Bonnie Konrade.

The family will receive friends from 5:00pm to 6:30pm, Wednesday, May 24^th at Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home, where a rosary will be prayed at 6:30pm.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30am Thursday, May 25^th at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church.  The interment will take place at 2:30pm at Holy Cross Cemetery in Emmett, Kansas.

Memorial contributions should be made to Topeka Meals on Wheels, sent in care of Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home, 800 SW 6^th Ave. Topeka, KS 66603.