William Franklin Redburn

Thursday, November 19, 2009

William Franklin Redburn, born in Tiffin, Mo. on Nov. 22, 1932 to Edward James (Tillery) and Clara Lucretia (Cooper) Redburn and died at Rice County Hospital in Lyons, Kan., on Sept. 21, 2009, after a short illness.

Known as Bill throughout his life, he officially changed his name from Richard to William. He was a graduate of Nevada High School where he met his wife, Jo Anne Ford. They married in 1955. As a result of his Korean era U.S. Air Force service, Bill was an air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration and retired in 1994.

Bill is survived by his wife Jo; two daughters, Cheryl Anne Lippert, Great Bend, Kan., and Cynthia Raeleen Schmidt, Reston, Va.; and two grandchildren, Ian Michael Lippert and Jessie Rose Lippert; siblings are Mildred Jacobs, Nevada, Verna Holden Hughs, Tucson, Ariz., and John, El Dorado Springs, Mo. Preceding him in death are siblings, Calvin, Marvin, Robert, Evelyn Watkins, Wanda Benskin, and Anna Benskin.

Close family members did as Bill requested and scattered his ashes at the Great Bend Airport on Sept. 23, 2009, in a wonderful remembrance celebration. Jo will reside in Great Bend, Kan. Memorials are requested to go to: Great Bend Pilots Fly In Fund, airport manager, P.O. Box 1168, Great Bend, KS 67530.

Many thanks to the hospital personnel, Dr. Tobias and Hospice nurses as well as the Great Bend Airport Manager.