Carmel Ann Marie Marion

Carmel Ann Marie (Champon) Marion, 63, of Lenexa, Kansas, passed away on March 8, 2026, surrounded by the loving arms of her husband after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Born on December 10, 1962, in Teaneck, New Jersey, she was the daughter of Mary (Levering) and Bernard Champon. Carmel graduated from Cresskill High School and earned a degree in Art Education from Montclair State University. She began her career in the decorating department at Seventeen Magazine in New York City.

In 1987, Carmel married the love of her life, John F. “Cub” Marion III, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Tenafly, New Jersey. Their 39-year marriage was marked by deep, unconditional love and unwavering commitment to one another. Together they raised four children: Weston, Brennan, Griffin, and Lauren. Carmel’s passion for art and design was evident in every home the family shared; she had a remarkable gift for creating warm, beautiful spaces that truly felt like home.

A longtime parishioner of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Shawnee, Kansas, Carmel is survived by her devoted husband Cub, her children Weston (Mandy Schroeder), Brennan, Griffin, and Lauren (Mitch Slavens), and their beloved grandson Roman. She is also survived by her siblings Charles, Colette (Dewald), Richard, Mary (Drobinko), Mark, John, Edouard, and Michael Champon.

She was preceded in death by her parents, several brothers including Bernard, Louis, Albert, Philip, Gerard, and Thomas Champon, her brother-in-law Lawrence Dewald, and her daughter-in-law Jennifer (Largent) Marion.