In Memory

Molly Magilow (Proffer)

Molly Magilow (Proffer)

LOUIS MEMORIAL CHAPEL  Molly Ruth Proffer Molly Ruth Proffer Dec 22, 1951 - Oct 25, 2020 Molly Ruth Proffer (née Magilow) passed away on Sunday, October 25th at 6:25 a.m. at the family home. The daughter of Melvin Magilow and Esther Zelda Kleinman, she grew up in the Brookside neighborhood of Kansas City, Mo. where she attended Southwest High School before traveling to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to attend Vassar College. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, and briefly considered (but then thought better of) a graduate degree in Philosophy, choosing instead to return to Kansas City. Here, she worked in advertising and later at Hallmark.

She met her husband, Don Proffer, and together they created and ran a successful media production company, Proffer Productions, for 40 years. Molly was her own woman. She cared deeply about her connection to her family and her friends, but she always emphasized the small things in life that make it all worthwhile. She was a huge fan of drinking 1 ½ glasses of wine, reading for the joy of reading, and spending time with her loved ones; and she was not too particular about what that entailed. She was the first person to laugh at a joke, even if it only really merited a chuckle. She had the ability to advise without being patronizing, and to criticize with compassion— a line few people learn to walk. Molly was happy to be around the famous, to be glory-adjacent, but she really didn’t care for the spotlight much herself. She lived down the hall from Meryl Streep at Vassar, and once rode in a limousine with the international soccer star Peilei, when she was an alternate cheerleader for the Kansas City Chiefs. She liked being behind the camera, not under the lights. An athletic woman all her life, she loved games like field hockey, squash, and tennis. She tried jogging, but it was too boring. She was deeply devoted to her family and to her community. She dedicated the majority of her considerable energy and talents to serving others. She enjoyed a good detective story and lived for lively conversation full of laughter and confidences. Her clear vision and bright humor will never be far from our minds.

She is survived by her husband, Donald Proffer; daughter Abby Lordan and son-in-law Joe Lordan; two sons, Ben and Alex; granddaughters, Riley Ann Lordan and Madison Rose Lordan; brothers, Lee and Roger; and a dear stepmother, Audrey Leban. A brief service will be held at Rose Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the Alzheimer’s Association, Heart of America chapter.

Classmates can send notes of condolence to Don Proffer at 4521 W. 65th St., Prairie Village, KS  66208. Molly will be cremated and no service will be held.

. From left: (granddaughter), Joe, Ben, Abby, (granddaughter), Alex, Molly, Don



 
go to bottom 
  Post Comment

10/26/20 01:06 PM #1    

Donnie Bowerman

Walk well, my sister. (Inuit Prayer)

10/27/20 10:32 AM #2    

Marilyn Foster (Borel)

This makes me so sad- what a bright and loving person- gone way too soon

 


10/28/20 10:07 AM #3    

Michelle Denes (Wilson Crawford)

My thoughts and prayers are with Molly and her family. We enjoyed being on a few of the same committees for a couple of reunions. It was great connecting with her again.  
it is correct that this disease is heartbreaking. Molly is free of that now. 


11/09/20 07:11 AM #4    

Denise Schwartz

In this picture we have Molly being supported in Miss Jones' Bingham 9th grade gym class by Nancy Reddoch, with admiring standing classmates Karen Kaplan, (also gone way too soon); Naomi Levinson; Kim Sprinkle; myself; and Elisa Borenstein.  It was probably about this time that Molly was thinking of a future in cheerleading.  We were all thinking at this time also of our cute one-piece white gym suits, the nice unprivate group showers we had after class, with the gym teachers looking on, and the Can-Can number that Molly choreographed and then had us perform for the end of year extravagaza talent exhibition.  Non-dancers got to be stagehands. Molly could do just about anything and she did it without a big ego.  At this time of our lives, we were thinking of Southwest High waiting in the wings.  Molly had a big future waiting in the wings.  And now she is looking down with her wings.  Our thoughts go out to her caregivers, family, loving friends, and any casual aquaintances who just were there in her life. We are comforted by remembering how full our lives are, no matter how early the passing, or the bumps we have along the way.  Rest in peace, Molly; you did Alzheimers well also.


11/10/20 09:45 AM #5    

Karen Devinki (Pack)

When I think of Molly, I always see a warm smile. We reconnected a few years ago when her company made a wonderful video for the Jewish Federation's 75th anniversary. The friendship was there as if no time had passed. Kindness transends time. May her memory be for a blessing. Karen Pack

 

 


11/11/20 07:07 AM #6    

Edi Swartz (Connor)

I am so sad to hear of Molly's passing.  When I think of Molly, like so many others, I think of her beautiful smile and her contagious laugh.  Molly was kind, compassionate, loving and giving. The world was a brighter place with her in it.  May her memory be a blessing. 
Edi Connor


go to top 
  Post Comment