Jamie Nicole (Poppa) Elwood, a bright light who had a gift for filling every room she entered with warmth and joy, passed away on May 4, 2026, surrounded by family. She was born the second of three children to Charlene Saia-Poppa and Michael Poppa on May 18, 1978, in Kansas City, Missouri, and spent her life leaving an indelible mark on anyone fortunate enough to know her.

Jamie grew up in the Kansas City area, attending Curé of Ars Catholic School in Leawood, KS, before graduating from Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, KS, in 1996. She made her way to New York City in 1999, where she spent over a decade building a life and a family of her own. Jamie's energy and zest for living were infectious, and The Big Apple was never quite the same after she arrived.

Jamie and Sean Elwood were married on June 25, 2005, surrounded by a beautiful blending of family and friends. Their first daughter, Lila, was born October 8, 2008, followed by Nora on December 10, 2010. In those years as a wife and mother in New York City, Jamie's bright light only grew brighter. While raising her young daughters, she completed her Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education at Brooklyn College, and with degree in hand, she taught children with learning and developmental differences as a Head Start teacher. Jamie believed every child was worthy of dignity and the opportunity to succeed, and she committed to ensuring their needs were met both inside and outside the classroom She deepened that commitment further by later earning a Master of Education in Language and Literacy from Park University.

Jamie returned home in 2012, where she and her family put down roots in Prairie Village, KS, and she poured herself into the people and community she loved. Jamie's values, spirituality, family, and friendships were the foundation of everything she did and everything she was. She built a wide and vibrant community of friends who joined in book clubs, cocktails, crafting, travels, yoga, meditation, and nights out on the dance floor (sometimes in caftans). She maintained deep connections with the people she loved regardless of whatever life brought.

Her school family was especially important to her, and during her years in Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, she built friendships and connections that extended beyond the workplace. In 2025, Jamie was honored as Teacher of the Year and proudly represented the Kansas City Kansas Early Childhood Center at the district Opening of Schools Convocation. This achievement reflected the profound difference she made in the lives of others.

Jamie was a loving daughter and sister, fiercely loyal friend, gifted teacher, tireless advocate, and above all, a deeply devoted mother. Jamie is survived by her two daughters, Lila and Nora Elwood, who are without a doubt the greatest loves of her life, and the clearest reflections of who she was. Jamie showed up for her girls in every sense of the word. She was there for the big moments like games, recitals, and milestones, but it was in the thousands of quiet, everyday moments where her devotion shone the brightest. She listened deeply, encouraged freely, loved fiercely, and was always ready with open arms. Being present for Lila and Nora was never a question for Jamie. It was simply who she was.

Jamie is also survived by the girls' father, Sean Elwood; her fur babies, Chewy and Bluey; her parents, Charlene Saia-Poppa and Michael Poppa; her siblings, Michael Poppa, Jr. (Thomas Phillips) and Jennifer Jones (Nathan); her nieces and nephews, John, Gunner, Charli, and Riley Wooldridge, and Ainsley Jones; her aunts and uncles, Leanne Mattoni (John), Phillip Poppa, Thomas Poppa, Francis Anne Dorrell (Michael), Jo Marie Thornhill (Richard), and Geraldine Toth (John); and a close circle of cousins, friends, colleagues, and students whose lives she touched profoundly. Jamie was preceded in death by her grandparents, Annette and Joseph Saia and Mary and Matthew Poppa, and by cherished great aunts and uncles, with whom she is now at peace.

Special thanks to the exceptional team of professionals at The University of Kansas Hospital, whose devoted care and kindness surrounded Jamie and her family in those final weeks.

Jamie, nothing will ever fill the space you've left behind. We will grieve, we will journey through that grief, and one day we will begin to heal. We will rebuild ourselves around that space and hold your light there, carrying it forward with us always. One day we will be whole again, but we will never be the same, nor would we ever want to be. We are forever changed, in every way, by the weight and the wonder of loving you.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Mass for Jamie at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood, KS. A Celebration of Life will follow from 12 to 3:00 p.m. at the Bel Air Building in Overland Park, KS. Her daughters encourage those in attendance to wear "any color other than black" in honor of Jamie's vibrant life.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to an Education Fund for Jamie's daughters. Contact her brother for more information.