William Blair Benedict

William Blair Benedict, 65, of Overland Park, KS passed away on April 19, 2026 after a courageous battle with Lewy Bodies Dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Blair was preceded in death by his parents Harvey and Mary Benedict as well as his brother, Jeff.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated for Blair at 10am on Saturday, April 25, at Curé of Ars Catholic Church, 9401 Mission Road in Leawood, KS.

Blair is survived by his sisters, Mary Benedict (nephew Luke) and Rebecca (Randy Huskey), and his brother Corey (Brent Humphrey) along with many cousins and other relatives in Minnesota.

Blair was born in Minnesota and also spent his childhood in Indiana until 1974 when the family moved to Shawnee, KS where he went to junior and senior high school (SM Northwest). Blair was the best athlete in his graduation class (1978), as the quarterback of the SMNW football team (also serving as starting QB for the KC Big Brothers and Sisters Metro All-Star game), starting guard on the basketball team (State of KS 5A semi-finals in 1977) and high jumping 6’10” on the track team, plus 3&2 baseball in the summer.

Following high school graduation, Blair and several of his classmates attended and played football at Butler County Community College in El Dorado, KS. After earning his 2-year degree, he moved on to K-State where he was a three-sport athlete participating in varsity football, JV basketball and as a decathlete in track (including competing at the KU relays in 1982 against the USSR national team).

At every stop, Blair made lifetime friends. Following graduation from K-State, Blair went back to Butler County and briefly served as a grad assistant coach in a couple of sports before following in the footsteps of his father, Harvey, and entering the interstate trucking and freight business.

He worked for several large trucking companies including Consolidated Freightways and then Yellow Freight, where he actually worked with Harvey. His trucking career included assignments in Lubbock, TX and Omaha, NE as well as Lawrence, KS and Kansas City.

Along the way, Blair also earned an MBA degree from Rockhurst University. Eventually, he retired from trucking and worked as a field rep in Kansas for then US Congressman, now US Senator and close friend Roger Marshall. Blair retired from work in 2019.

Three things defined Blair: family, friends, and sports. Blair was a devoted son and brother who absolutely adored his family. He also was the best friend anyone could have; always loyal, interested in everything in your life, and patient to a fault. And he loved sports, all of them.

He was not only a gifted athlete but a huge fan of all the local teams, but also, and most importantly the Minnesota Vikings, and any team that his close friend, Willie Fritz (currently Head Football Coach at the University of Houston) was coaching. Blair traveled far and wide to see all of Willie’s teams play.

Blair had many friends who loved him dearly, whether it was from school going all the way back to 1974, his group at the Overland Park Athletic Club, his career, and his many other affiliations, they were his world in every sense.

Everyone who knew Blair remembers his big smile, quick wit, and infectious laugh. Then when you add his charm, competitiveness, and energy, Blair became unforgettable.

So, somewhere it would seem, Blair is likely holding court in a heavenly sports bar during a football season that never ends, to a large crowd that includes Harvey, Mary, Jeff and many friends and strangers alike. And for the rest of us, as we remember him and miss him a lot, we’ll think of him during every game we watch (particularly the Vikings), and we’ll all say, “later” instead of “goodbye.”

The family wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to the dedicated doctors, nurses, and therapists at MidAmerica Rehabilitation Hospital for their exemplary care and unwavering support for Blair.

Memorial gifts may be made in Blair’s honor to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, or the Parkinson’s Foundation.