Kermit A. Mangun

Visitation for Kermit A. Mangun, 90, will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 25, at the Lakeview Village Heritage Building, 9100 Park Street, Lenexa; memorial service to follow at 10:30.
Mr. Mangun died Saturday, June 18, 2011, at the Lakeview Village Care Center, Lenexa.
He was born on Aug. 13, 1920, in Kansas City, Kan., the son of Lloyd and Eva Mangun.
He graduated from Wyandotte High School and the Kansas City Kansas Community College. Later he received his BS degree in Chemistry and Biology from the University of Missouri, Kansas City. He continued his education in microbiology and management training.
He was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force for 23 years. Five years of that time was on active duty during World War II and the Korean War. In WW II he was a flight instructor at Randolph Field, San Antonio, Texas, Independence, Kan., and Laughlin Field, Del Rio, Texas. He was also the personal pilot to the Commanding General of the Fourth Army, while stationed at Brookfield, Texas.
He was recalled for the Korean War in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Biggs Air Force Base, El Paso, Texas and the Military Air Transport Service (MATS) at Wheelus Air Force Base, Tripoli, Libya, North Africa.
After the war he worked as a pilot for TWA and Western Airlines for two years. Kermit’s love for flying continued for more than 60 years as he logged over 6,000 hours of flying time. In recent years, fellow TWA pilot, Nelson Krueger, became a special friend and took Kermit flying every year for his birthday. Their last flight together was on his 90th birthday.
Mr. Mangun began working for the Kansas City Kansas Board of Public Utilities in 1947 and retired as the director of the water processing plant in 1985. During that time he was responsible for the water processing facility and for the water used in chemical engineering at the BPU Power Plant.
He was a lifetime member of the American Water Works Association and served as Chairman of the Kansas Section from 1972-1973. He was the first Director from Kansas to serve on the International Board of Directors of the AWWA from 1979-1982.
His presentations before the Kansas State Legislature and hearings in Washington, D.C. concerning legislation to set drinking water standards for the state of Kansas (Mandatory Operators Certification Bill, signed into law by Governor Robert Bennett ), were acknowledged when he was awarded The George Warren Fuller Award 1979, the highest honor given by the AWWA. He also received the Operators Meritorious Service Award from the AWWA and the Board of Public Utilities presented him with the Outstanding Career Performance Award in 1985.
He was a member and ordained Elder of Western Highlands and First Presbyterian Churches in Kansas City, Kan. He served on the advisory board of the KCK Presbyterian Manor from 1985-1987. As a member of the Lakeview Village Chapel he served as a Eucharistic minister and as a Sacristan.
After retiring Mr. Mangun spent over 20 years as a member and volunteer at the National Airline History Museum. He enjoyed restoring and flying planes such as the TWA Constellation and the Martin 404.
Throughout his life Kermit “never met a stranger” and could fix just about anything that needing fixing. These two traits made him a favorite with his family, his church and his retirement community.
He married Carol Klemp on June 12, 1949. She survives.
Other survivors include a daughter, Connie Sollars and husband Gary, Lawrence; a son, Kendall, Denver, Colorado; two grandchildren, Allison Sollars, Salina; Drew and his wife, Tina Sollars, Olathe; two great-grandchildren, Julia and Frederick Sollars; and an identical twin, Quentin, Manchester, Conn. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters.
The family suggests memorials to the Lakeview Village Chapel or Care Center, 9100 Park Street, Lenexa, KS 66215 or the National Airline History Museum, 201 Northwest Lou Holland Drive, Kansas City, MO 64116.