Local Obituaries

Remembering the lives that had profound impact on their communities

Stories by Wichita Eagle journalists, with AI summarization

These curated articles collectively highlight the profound impacts and lasting legacies of individuals in Kansas who have passed away and left indelible marks on their communities.

Each article focuses on a narrative of lives that connected deeply with others, demonstrating the enduring influence of personal relationships, community service, and cultural contributions.

Longtime Sedgwick County Zoo executive director Mark Reed was known as much for his ever-present enthusiasm as for his deep love of animals. Reed, 75, died Friday following a long battle with various forms of cancer.

NO. 1: LONGTIME SEDGWICK COUNTY ZOO DIRECTOR REMEMBERED AS ‘A CHAMPION FOR OUR INDUSTRY’

There’s an old joke in the zoo business that workers get into the animal field because they don’t like humans. | Published August 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Carrie Rengers

NO. 2: WICHITA RESTAURANT OWNER WHO’D LONG BEEN PLANNING HER RETIREMENT DIES AT 62

Almost two years ago, Asian Wok owners Mike and Yook Gan were trying to slow down after working 25 years in the restaurant industry. | Published August 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Denise Neil

Bishop Mark Gilkey

NO. 3: REMEMBERING BISHOP GILKEY: ‘KEEP YOUR HEART RIGHT, AND GOD WILL HELP YOU WITH THE REST’

As young boys growing up in Wichita, Mark Gilkey and Roderick Houston both knew they one day wanted to be pastors, but Houston said his friend already seemed to be living his mission. | Published August 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Carrie Rengers

Bucky Walters asking, “What’s wrong?” on stage at Gridiron. Walters died Sept. 10 at age 86.

NO. 4: WHAT’S WRONG? WICHITA HAS LOST ONE OF ITS FUNNIEST CHARACTERS

What’s wrong? | Published September 10, 2025 | Read Full Story by Carrie Rengers

Daniel Scott Forshey, of Wichita, died on Sept. 17 after being hit by a driver while he was riding a tricycle. Courtesy photo

NO. 5: REMEMBERING THE WICHITA FATHER, GRANDFATHER KILLED WHEN TRUCK STRUCK TRICYCLE

Daniel Scott Forshey always liked working on and riding bicycles, ever since he was a boy when he and his best friend would ride around their Hilltop neighborhood. | Published September 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michael Stavola

Wichita native Joe Brown (left) was beloved in the youth sports community, as a long-time football coach for the Wichita Trojans who was known to pay for trophies out of pocket to help celebrate his players. Brown, 66, died Sept. 22.

NO. 6: NO CHILDREN OF HIS OWN, YET ‘COACH JOE’ RAISED A GENERATION OF WICHITA KIDS

Joe Brown never had any children of his own. | Published September 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Taylor Eldridge

Knowledge McPherson and his daughter, Kelaia McPherson, modeling his brand, Chosen One. Courtesy photo

NO. 7: ‘HE WAS MVP A LOT’: REMEMBERING WICHITA MAN, 23, KILLED IN QUIKTRIP SHOOTING

Sometimes when Billy McPherson is working as a custodian at Wichita West High, he will pass by a student wearing Chosen One clothes. He stops them and proudly tells them it’s his son’s clothing line. He and his family plan to keep the clothing line going, even though his son has died. | Published October 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michael Stavola

NO. 8: TEEN, FATHERS AND GRANDFATHERS AMONG THOSE RECENTLY KILLED. THEIR FAMILIES SEEK HELP

A teenager with a passion for sports and digital arts was killed in an early morning traffic accident. A husband and father of three children died in an accident at I-135 and Hydraulic in Wichita. A grandfather and outdoorsman going fishing was fatally shot at El Dorado Lake. Two Kansans, including a father with three children under three, died in a fiery collision in Sumner County. Grieving families of all these men are now asking for help supporting funeral costs and surviving family members. | Published October 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Allison Campbell

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.