Annabeth Surbaugh, 79, of Lenexa, passed away on August 28, 2024 at the Kansas City Hospice House following a hospital stay as well as several years of mobility-limiting chronic conditions.  She was constantly surrounded by the love of immediate family in the days prior to her death.  

Annabeth was born on April 12,1945, to Elsie Mae and Virdon Taylor in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  Her sister, Cheryl, was born December 30, 1946.  Because of their father’s civil service position with the Social Security Administration, the family relocated from the Midwest to Maryland and returned to the St. Louis area where Annabeth graduated from McCluer High School in Florissant, Missouri in 1963.  Understanding the challenges of starting at a new school, Annabeth started a “Welcoming Committee” to pair new with current students to help new students transition to the high school. Annabeth’s drive to make a community impact possibly began at McCluer, though likely earlier.

Annabeth attended University of Missouri at St. Louis (UMSL) for two years and then transferred to the University of Missouri, Columbia to complete her Bachelor of Science (BS) in Retailing.  While at the University of Missouri, Annabeth again showed her propensity to help create change and foreshadowed her future political activities.  She supported the successful campaign of the first “non-Greek” (non-fraternity or sorority related) slate of student government officers, which also included the first black student, Harold “Doc” Holliday, to serve as an executive student government leader at the university.  

Following college, Annabeth moved to Kansas City to start her professional career as a buyer at the Jones Store Company.  After several promotions, Annabeth finished her retail career at Macy’s Midwest (five-state area) as Buyer of Ladies Ready to Wear.  

In 1970, Annabeth married Greg Surbaugh and moved to Johnson County, Kansas.  In 1976, her daughter, Page, was born.  Due to Page’s early childhood health issues, Annabeth became a stay-at-home mom for 10 years. She would frequently tell stories of being home with Page, lying on the ground looking for shapes in the clouds and cooking together, remembering these years at home with her daughter as some of the happiest of her life.

As Page grew older, Annabeth started her own interior design firm, Yours and Then Some.  Annabeth had a rare talent for color and a vision of what things could be; she also intuitively understood the styles of others and helped them decorate their home to their style, not hers. 

Annabeth began to engage in local politics as a citizen activist – first as an advocate for protecting aging neighborhoods and later to ensure her new home in (what was then) nearly-undeveloped southern Johnson County had adequate water for fire protection.  This citizen advocacy led to her election to the Rural Water Board No. 2 in 1988 and began her official career in elected politics that would span more than 20 years.  The rural district merged with Water District No. 1 of Johnson County (currently WaterOne) and Annabeth served for four more years, becoming the Board’s first woman chairman.

In 1992, Annabeth was elected as Third District Commissionerof Johnson County, serving until she was elected as the first County-wide Chair in 2002, a position she held until 2010. Always the trend-setter, Annabeth’s election to the Commission shifted the Board’s composition to majority women for the first time in Johnson County history.  

Johnson County was Annabeth’s deep love and proudest accomplishment (other than Page and her grandchildren – about whom she would brag endlessly).  She gave her all to the County and advocated ceaselessly for its citizens.  We cannot list all the roles and organizations she served, but she was especially proud of her work with the following:

These leadership roles highlight Annabeth’s passion for justice, second-chances, community, green-space and collaboration across the metropolitan area.  She was also a strong proponent and mentor to women leaders.  She believed the bedrock of democracy was transparency and in the process of government to support its citizens.  She always paraphrased Maya Angelou’s quote as “People may not like or remember what you did, but they will always remember the process of how you did it.” Annabeth’s significant contributions to the community wererecognized with numerous awards from organizations includingInaugural Class 70 over 70 (Shepherd’s Center), Liberty Bell Award (Johnson County Bar Association), Making Democracy Work Award (League of Women Voters), Regional Leadership Award (MARC), Leadership Kansas, Kansas City’s “Power Elite” (Ingram’s Magazine), and many more.

Despite all her professional accomplishments, her proudest achievement was her daughter, Page.  If you talked to her for one minute, ever, you know this (just ask all the hospital staff). Page graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kansas, worked for ExxonMobil in Louisiana, and returned home to Johnson County in 2004.  Page is currently a Project Manager at Black & Veatch.  Page’s return to Johnson County was a complete joy to Annabeth; she loved witnessing Page’s marriage to Bryan Burks in 2006 and being a grandma to Owen (16) and Brynn (14).  Possibly less known than her talents for politics, Nana was an amazing baker and she made elaborately themed birthday cakes for Owen and Brynn every year.

After nearly 30 years of marriage, Annabeth and Greg divorced, remaining amicable and continuing to offer love to Page and her family.  In 2006, Annabeth met “her person” in Doug Airey. On paper they may not have seemed a likely couple, but their strong personalities and talents were the perfect complement to each other.  Married June 7, 2018, Doug and Annabeth shared a true love story with Annabeth holding Doug’s hand as she passed. Doug’s love filled Annabeth in a beautiful way, and Annabeth did likewise for Doug. It is a true blessing they found each other.

While recently limited by her body, her mind and will remainedever attuned to local and national issues and ways to make a difference for her community up until her death.  Even from her hospital bed, Annabeth took calls from friends and colleagues wanting her thoughts on the best candidates for the recent primary election.  In addition to providing her opinions, she would also offer up non-partisan locations to find information.  She never stopped empowering and equipping others. To the end, Annabeth remained a passionate advocate for Johnson County as well as the advancement and mentorship of greatleaders (especially women).  Her legacy will live on in the processes she put in place as well as the current and futureleaders she mentored.

Annabeth was preceded in death by her parents (Virdon and Elsie Mae Goodwin Taylor), grandparents (John W. and Maggie Keller Taylor and Ernest L. and Rosa Epperson Goodwin).  She is survived by her husband, Doug Airey; daughter, Page Surbaugh (Bryan) Burks; grandchildren, Brynn and Owen Burks; sister, Cheryl Gray and husband Jim Mackley; nephew Tyson (Liz) Heidmann and two great-nieces, Audrey and Emily; six first cousins; and countless friends.  She loved each one of you!

A visitation in Annabeth’s honor will be held from 4-7 pm onTuesday, October 1 at Porter Funeral Home (8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, KS 66215).  Her funeral will be held at 1 pm on Wednesday, October 2 in the Wesley Covenant Chapel, United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, Leawood Campus (13720Roe Avenue, Leawood, KS 66224).

Everyone who knew Annabeth, knew of her passion for flowers.  However, ever practical and determined to make a difference, in lieu of flowers Annabeth requested donations to the “Annabeth Surbaugh and Douglas Airey Scholarship Fund” at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) using the information provided below.  The fund will provide financial support to students who are the first in their families to attend college.  Neither Annabeth nor Doug were first generation college students, but would like to reduce the financial challenges to earning a degree for others in Johnson County.  

Per Annabeth, “Your life is your message.” Her message was passionate advocacy and change for her community as well as great pride and love for her family and friends.  She will be greatly missed.

Check donations to:

JCCC Foundation

Attention: Annabeth Surbaugh Scholarship Fund

12345 College Blvd, MTC 221, Box 25

Overland Park, KS 66210

Electronic donations to:

Annabeth Surbaugh Scholarship Fund