And then something occurred, something that became THE defining event that forever changed this little Catholic School, that was always run so reverently, so efficiently, and so proudly, by this French Community of Nuns. Nuns who had come to Kansas City to open this school at the request of former Bishop Hogan so many years earlier. Sister Morand came to the door and spoke briefly to Bobby’s teacher, also a Nun at the school. She requested that Bobby be excused from his class to go downstairs as his “auntie” was waiting to take him to his mother, (who had supposedly fallen ill on the Country Club Plaza), to St. Mary’s Hospital on Main Street.

Bobby took Sister Morand’s hand and she led him down the inside front steps leading to the entryway of the school to a woman who had identified herself as “Bobby’s aunt.” (It seemed, just a few moments earlier, Sister Morand had shown this (as Sister would later describe), “deceitful and dreadful woman” to the Chapel to pray and to wait for Bobby, and yet this woman had returned to the entry of the school and was there waiting near the bottom of the inside steps for Bobby’s arrival). Bobby never uttered a word nor did he deny that this woman was his aunt, and so, Bobby, holding the hand of this woman, and with her arm around him, departed out the front doors and down the outside steps to a waiting Toedman Co. Taxicab.

Thus began the long and tragic and unimaginable nightmare that forever became known nationally and worldwide as “The Bobby Greenlease Kidnapping, Murder, and Ransom Case.”

Virginia and Robert  often pondered why Bobby didn’t say to anyone he didn’t even know who this lady was. Bobby saw life through the eyes of a six year-old boy, and to him, all adults represented authority, and since he was taught by his parents to respect all adults, he simply, and obviously, and unquestionably, believed he was doing what was right by going with her.  Most children were taught the same respect for adults by their own parents.

The actual kidnapping from his school required about six minutes from the time the female kidnapper left the cab and entered the school, deceived the school Nuns, kidnapped Bobby, and departed the school with Bobby Greenlease in hand. And within thirty-five minutes of Bobby’s being kidnapped from his school, (as the kidnappers would later testify in court), the second  kidnapper, a man, who had then joined the first kidnapper, after she departed the taxicab with Bobby in hand, at the Katz Drug Store parking lot at 40th and Main St., a location that was quite close to Bobby’s school. And together, these two kidnappers, along with Bobby, entered the female kidnaper’s white 1951 Plymouth station wagon, and drove across Westport Road and crossed into Kansas, and then traveled on south on State Line Road to 95th Street and entered into a desolate field, where they ended  Bobby’s life.

This site has briefly detailed these beginning minutes, (kidnapping, leading to the murder of Bobby), part of the story. This is so intricate to Bobby’s final moments in this life.

Other sources such as the FBI, many local and state law enforcement agencies, and many other sources, have outlined the continuing details from this point where this site will not continue at this time. The tragic details beyond briefly describing what actually occurred once Bobby was taken from his school, his actual murder, the ransom notes, the telephone calls by the kidnappers to Bobby’s parents, and all of the other details, need not be recalled in this web site at this time. Honoring Bobby’s memory, and respecting his family, is this web sites only objective; not further sensationalism and exploitation of the two evil drunken perpetrators.

The motivation in creating this site is to not only accentuate the life of six-year-old Bobby Greenlease, but to highlight the lives of the entire Robert C. Greenlease Family. This site has recalled stories and experiences from Virginia’s personal memory and her personal experiences. The many sources available that can provide in detail the actual sad events of Bobby’s kidnapping, murder, ransom, and early confessions of the murderers, and their eventual fate, will not be retold in this web site. There just simply is not more that this site desires to add to the very horrible details of the events already recorded, detailed, categorized, and in some instances, in grizzly detail, from the immediate time after Bobby was taken from his school and driven to his final fate at the hands of his kidnapper’s. Bobby was simply a wonderful and beloved little boy, and his life has touched not only the hearts of his family so close to him, and even his extended family in Kansas City, but perhaps millions and millions of people nationally, and even worldwide, who have followed and read, and perhaps heard about this very sad experience in the history of this Greenlease Family. Virginia always recalled Bobby for the many times she spent with him and with his family and when their families together would celebrate birthdays, baptisms, confirmations, graduations, weddings, and other holy and inspiring  and fun  family occasions.

Events Bobby really loved to actively participate in such as family picnics. He liked roasting marshmallows and hot dogs, and he liked pink cotton candy and boxes of pop corn. Bobby enjoyed going to the Plaza Theatre for occasional movies with his family, and to see the Plaza Christmas Lights. He liked the 4th of July fireworks. And Kool-Aid,  lots and lots of grape and orange Kool-Aid! And candy.  He really liked Russell Stover’s Candies divinity and peanut-brittle; Russell and Clara Stover and family were actually neighbors who lived close-by his home in Mission Hills. And Cracker Jacks. Bobby was so excited about what prize would he find in a box of this confection. He liked the Ararat Shrine Circus. And he loved Christmas! He could hardly wait for the Christmas trees to be arranged and set-up.  There were usually several decorated trees throughout his home.  He would string out and help test the lights on the living room floor and help attach the ornaments and silver ice-cycles to the trees. And Bobby loved to place the Baby Jesus image in the Manger in the large Christmas Crib in the huge entryway to his home. And his dad and mom would take Bobby and his siblings to downtown Kansas City, Missouri to see the huge animated-talking Santa Claus in the Emery-Bird-Thayer store windows. Bobby would ride the train with Virginia Sue and Paul in the huge 12th and Main Street Jone’s Store. He also loved the many Christmas windows with beautiful animated Christmas figures at Harzfeld’s, Macy’s, Kline’s, Woolf Brothers, Wolferman’s, Woolworth’s, Kresge’s, W. T. Grant Dime Store and the lovely Bond’s Clothing Company downtown stores.

And Bobby really loved Easter. Naturally, he enjoyed the Easter Bunny and the Russell Stover Candy Easter Eggs---and as Virginia recalled, especially the white chocolate green coconut-filled and pink strawberry-filled eggs. There was always a large Easter Egg Hunt for the entire neighborhood in the Greenlease yard. Bobby and Virginia Sue loved to fill their baskets with hidden eggs and candies. But, Easter truly celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus and Bobby was taught that the real meaning for this special holiday was that “his friend Jesus was brought back to life and that He would then  live forever.” Bobby had celebrated his sixth birthday shortly before Lent and Easter in 1953, so he had learned about Jesus being brought up and away from death. Of course, as Virginia would relate she don’t know for certain what a six year-old boy fully understands about life beyond death, but Bobby was a bright boy and he seemed to somehow grasp that his friend Jesus had come up and away from the death he had suffered on that Cross! Virginia knew Bobby did understand that there was a place called Heaven and that he too would always be with his family and everyone he cared about in that special place called Heaven! She simply don’t know exactly the understanding of a child like Bobby towards death. Virginia believed his Catholic faith was strong and he understood that sometimes someone would not be seen any more because they had “passed away--and gone out of sight.” Earlier, this site recalled about the bird dying and Bobby’s reaction and understanding of that experience. So, Virginia did trust that Bobby had some kind of an understanding or concept, and at some deep child level, about death.  Only God knows for certain!