Honoring
John Garvey
John Garvey
On July 28th of 2021, we said goodbye to our friend and co-worker, John Garvey, a senior project manager for the company. John was only 39 years old when he succumbed to pancreatic cancer. He fought a valiant battle until the very end. In his final days, he was surrounded by the love of his wife and children, along with his parents and siblings.
John started at Kissick Construction in 2007 as a project engineer and quickly moved up through the organization. In 2018, he was promoted to senior project manager and became part of our executive leadership team. There is no doubt that John was a valuable asset to Kissick Construction. He was instrumental in most, if not all, of the estimating, project management and accounting processes.
In 2018, after the passing of Kissick Construction co-founder Jim Kissick, John fearlessly took over the complicated bidding process for large city (Kansas City, Missouri) projects, even though he had little estimating experience at the time. The company needed him to fill a much needed role, and he put his heart and soul into making his new position successful. Over his tenure, he built a valuable rapport with both KC Water and the city’s Public Works Department, a relationship founded on mutual trust and respect. John was committed to his work and was known to go above and beyond what was expected in order to successfully complete challenging projects. His efforts earned him the respect of his clients and company leadership.
John continued bidding on new projects even after his diagnosis in April of 2021. Through the ever increasing physical and emotional pain, he continued forward with an unwavering commitment to his position. We will always be grateful for his incredible dedication and courage.
Toward the end of John’s battle with the disease, team members and office personnel organized a “parade of love,” driving by John’s house one by one in company trucks to show their respect and support. John was able to see his team members and co-workers one last time, and was so pleased by the gesture. John’s wife Jennifer mentioned how much it also meant to their children, and both her and John’s parents, to see such an outpouring of love.
John was an incredibly gifted project manager and estimator, but he was an even better father, husband and friend. He is survived by his wife Jennifer and their five children.
We miss John every day, and believe and hope that he is resting in peace.
“My body may not have been cured, but my soul has been cured.”
John Garvey