Kenneth H. Morrison

Ken attended elementary and junior high school in Wichita, Kansas, but moved to Eureka, Kansas in 1945. He graduated from Eureka High School in 1949. He was selected as a member of the National Honor Society and was active in the Boy Scouts and the Order of DeMolay.

Ken graduated from Wichita State University in 1953 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. While attending the University, he worked in the Central Branch YMCA Boys Program Department. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force and ordered to active duty on December 9, 1953.

For the next 28 years, Ken’s military service gave him a variety of experiences and an opportunity to travel in nearly every Central and South American countries as well as Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, Korea and the Republic of the Philippines.

After a brief assignment as a Ground Electronics Officer, he earned his wings as a multi-engine pilot and served as a transport pilot, Air Commando, and Special Air Operations Officer. He flew: C-97, 4-engine passenger plane (his favorite); C-124 4 engine cargo plane referred to as the “Bumble Bee”; Twin Cessna U-235 to maintain currency while going to Purdue University; C-46’s and C-47’s.

He received a Master of Science degree in Psychology from Purdue University in 1963 and was assigned to the Electronics System Division, L. G. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts as a Behavioral Scientist, providing technical assistance and monitoring 15 different system program offices for safety and human engineering development.

In November 1971 he pioneered the Air Force effort in Social Actions at McConnell AFB, Kansas. This program was designed to provide human relations education, ensure equal opportunity and treatment, and offer drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitation and preventive programs.

From 1975 to 1981 he was assigned to the Pacific Air Forces Command, Hickam AFB, Hawaii as the Director, Human Resources Development. Under his leadership, the Pacific Air Forces Command was distinguished by receiving the prestigious Colonel L. Joseph Brown Award for the most outstanding social actions program in the Air Force in 1975, 1977, 1979, and 1980.

He retired from the Air Force on December 31, 1981 with the permanent rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, AF Commendation Medal, Small Arms Marksmanship Ribbon, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam), AF Longevity Service Award with five Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, AF Presidential Unit Citation, AF Outstanding Unit Award and the AF Overseas Service Long Tour Ribbon.

After retiring from the Air Force Ken went on to work as the Director of the Judge James V. Riddel Boys Ranch in Goddard, Kansas from January 1982 to January 1986. He then worked as a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Dinning-Beard.

Ken was active in Masonry, the Scottish Rite, DeMolay, Boy Scouts of America and Church. He was a member of Bestor G. Brown Lodge #433 in Wichita, KS. He was the Worshipful Master at Bestor G. Brown in 1989. He was an Honorary Member of the International Supreme Council, Order of DeMolay and the recipient of the Silver Beaver Award, Boy Scouts of America. He was a member of Hillside Christian Church where he taught the Christopher Sunday School class.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Gladys (Frantz) James and stepfather, Fred James, as well as his son, Dana Kent Morrison.

Ken is survived by his wife of 66 years, Nancy A. (Gettle) Morrison; 2 children, Daryl (Kelly) Morrison and Debra (Jay) Gilstrap; 4 grandchildren, Shelly (Morgan Cole-Paddon) Morrison, Kimberly (Daniel) Shaddrick, Jared (Ariana Hefner) Gilstrap, Derek (Aubrey) Gilstrap; and 4 great-grandchildren; Bryce Shaddrick, Claire Shaddrick, Aedan Cole-Paddon and Beckett Rollman.

Funeral Service for Ken will be held at 1:00PM, Tuesday, August 27, 2024, at Hillside Christian Church, 8330 E. Douglas Avenue, Wichita, Kansas 67206 with visitation one hour prior. Committal with Military Funeral and Masonic Honors will follow, at Lakeview Cemetery, 12100 E. 13th Street N., Wichita, Kansas 67206.