Former Kansas GOP chair Jack Ranson dies

Jack Ranson, a stalwart leader of Kansas Republican moderates for years, died Thursday at a Wichita hospital.

He was 78.

Ranson is the husband of former Kansas state Sen. Pat Ranson, a Wichita Republican.

Ryan Wright, executive director of the moderate Kansas Traditional Republican Majority, wrote this in an e-mail blast to members: "Words do not due justice to this man who was a giant of Kansas Republican politics. Jack was as comfortable with presidents as he was with precinct people and he never missed an opportunity to serve or encourage service in others."

He was an adviser to numerous leading Kansas Republicans, including Bob Dole, Nancy Kassebaum, Bill Graves, Pat Roberts and Dick Bond

This story was originally published May 16, 2008 at 9:22 AM with the headline "Former Kansas GOP chair Jack Ranson dies."