L. Frank Maudlin

L. Frank Maudlin, 94, of Liberty, Missouri, passed away August 4, 2024 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. A visitation will be held from 10:00-11:00am, Saturday, August 10th at Church-Archer-Pasley Funeral Home, 119 E. Franklin St., Liberty, MO 64068. A Celebration of Frank’s Life with Honors will follow at 11:00am at the funeral home. Interment will be held at Higginsville Veteran Cemetery with family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or Missouri Veteran’s Home in Cameron.

Frank was born November 20, 1929 in Grant City, MO to Woodson and Ada Maudlin. He was a Worth County Tiger and graduated from Grant City High School. Frank had a football scholarship to K-State, but left after the season was over. He was a boxing enthusiast for many years and was a Golden Gloves Champion. Frank enlisted in the Army in 1947 and served until 1948, while there, he won the 5th Army Championship, Light Heavyweight in 1948. After his military service, he moved to Kansas City and worked in construction. Frank met his future wife when they both worked at the Lake City Ammunitions plant. Frank and Marianna eloped on November 21, 1951 and they enjoyed 69 years of marriage before her passing in 2021. After their marriage, Frank moved to California to continue training as a boxer and competed in New Jersey for ten pro fights, where his record was 8-2.

He came home to Marianna and joined the highway patrol. When Frank decided to run for Sheriff of Clay County, he briefly worked as the Police Chief for Riverside, before his election in 1960. He served as Sheriff for 9 years, modernizing the department, adding community outreach including the Junior Deputy program, as well as the Sheriff’s Posse mounted parade unit. After his tenure as Sheriff, he served as the Director of the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission, where he brought community awareness to organized crime activities from 1969-1980. He then worked as security manager for Bendix Corporation, now Honeywell. Frank retired and then started work for Weber Real Estate, focusing on land sales.

Frank and Marianna adopted twins, Tim and Tina in 1973 and they raised their family in Liberty. He loved hunting with his siblings, especially in deer season; fishing at their vacation home in Colorado and Worth County; and spending time with family. Frank loved animals and kept horses at his property in Worth County. He was a shooting enthusiast, and won competitions over the years. Lately, while battling Alzheimer’s, he received excellent care in his last years while living at the Missouri Veteran’s Home in Cameron.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife, Marianna Maudlin; his siblings, Lavon and Lavina Maudlin, Carmetta Jackson, Dale Maudlin and his wife Laveta; and his in-laws, Elaine and Gerald Cox.

Frank is survived by his children, Tim Maudlin, and Tina Dorsey (Darrin); his grandchildren, Timothy Parks, Todd Parks (Laniesha), and Tanya Adama; as well as many great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

Fond memories of Frank may be left at www.churcharcherpasley.com, as arrangements are under the direction of Church-Archer-Pasley Funeral Home, 816-781-2000.