Russell B. Krohn, 65, of Blue Springs, Missouri died peacefully at home on August 18, 2020 following a brief battle with renal cancer. His wife of 42 years, Kim and his brother Randy were by his side.
He was born May 15, 1955 in Kansas City, Missouri to Howard and Dorothy (Irwin) Krohn. Following his graduation from Grandview High School in 1973, he earned a BS in Biology in 1977 and an MS in Biology in 1980, both from the Central Missouri State University, which is now the University of Central Missouri. This is where he met his wife, Kim. Russ spent the majority of his professional career with Tetra Tech doing hazardous waste response and environmental remediation. Despite the fact he worked his way up to an administrative position, it was the field work he truly loved.
Russ was an extremely neat, organized German. His attention to detail and tolerance for tedium were unmatched. Blue Springs city council members were surprised to discover someone read the Public Notices in the local newspaper.
Russ belonged to the Conservation Federation of Missouri, the Missouri Prairie Foundation, the National Rifle Association, the Western Missouri Shooters Alliance, and the Blue Springs Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni Association.
Russ was an avid hunter, fisherman, and enjoyed training his dogs. He looked forward to the trout fishing trips he took twice a year with college buddies Charlie Bockting, Mike Kriegshauser, and John Wilson.
Russ and Kim lived in the Hickory Woods subdivision in Blue Springs for 28 years and he served on the Grounds Committee for much of that time, taking care of the common areas.
Russ enjoyed working outdoors and tending to the bird feeders and bird houses in the yard. It was not unusual for him to drive to a farm he owned near Stockton Lake to hunt and not see any wildlife, only to return home and find turkey and deer wandering around the front yard.
Russ also belonged to several dog clubs including:
Agility Ability of Greater Kansas City
Sho-Me State American Pit Bull Terrier Club, where he served as the club’s treasurer for many years and was fond of saying the club’s small treasury was still more money that the federal government had in their treasury. He was an excellent treasurer with meticulous attention to detail.
The Greater Kansas City Dog Training Club, of which he was a life member. Russ wore many hats during his years with the dog training club including instructing, serving as a board member, preparing printed material for classes, and being very involved when the club decided to purchase the building they’d leased for 25 years.
Russ also served as treasurer of the Endangered Breeds Association and was a member of The Staffordshire Terrier Club of America and the Miniature Bull Terrier Club of America.
Perhaps one of Russ’ most important contributions was his 25 years as a special-interest lobbyist for the Missouri Federation of Animal Owners. Russ spent considerable time lobbying at the state and municipal level and attended numerous city council meetings throughout the metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri area in an effort to promote reasonable laws and ordinances for dog owners.
Once retired, Russ used his knowledge of emergency response from his career and his lifelong knowledge of dogs and animals and volunteered for both the Community Emergency Response Team and the Disaster Animal Response Team. These were volunteer teams the government asked communities to assemble following the disaster of Hurricane Katrina.
Russ was a Republican and a huge fan of President Ronald Reagan and current First Lady Melania Trump. When Kim woke Russ to tell him Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election, he sat straight up and said “We’re going to have a good-looking First Lady!” Russ always supported local and state Republican politicians. He was preceded in death by his neighbor, good friend, and fellow Republican Mike Bultemeier. Russ and Mike have a lot to talk about.
Russ was a devoted son to his parents, Howard and Dotty, and was available to help whenever they needed him. He was at his father’s side with his brother when Howard passed a year and a half ago.
Russ loved his dogs, including Sassy Britches, Mandy Sue Pepperidge, and Bosco Jackson. He will be missed by his current dog, Ryder.
Russ was preceded in death by his father, Howard Krohn. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Kim (Meadows) Krohn, mother Dotty Krohn of Olathe, KS, brother Randy Krohn (Holly Carpenter) of Chesterfield, MO, sister in law Kelly Weehunt of Independence, MO, sister in law Kippi (Kurt) VanHoogstrate of Chesterfield, MO, nieces Ashley Weehunt, Alex VanHoogstrate, and Savannah VanHoogstrate, and nephew Gavin VanHoogstrate. He is also preceded in death by mother in law Dorothy M. Meadows and is survived by in-laws Jerry and Don Meadows of Green Valley, AZ.
Dotty, Kim, Randy, all of his friends and family, and Ryder will miss Russ tremendously. He is suffering no more and is in God’s hands. Kim hopes it gives Dotty some comfort for Russ to be with Howard.
As the Germans say, “Auf Wiedersehen” – until we meet again.
