Chester B (Chet) Vanatta

Chester B. (Chet) Vanatta, age 89, died peacefully on the evening of May 17th, 2025, at Lakeview Village in Lenexa, KS. He was born September 3, 1935, in Bartlesville, OK to Ben and Iona Vanatta.

Chet is survived by his wife of 67 years, Patsy Vanatta; a son, Scott Vanatta of Overland Park, KS; a brother, Benny (& wife Vicki) Vanatta of Oklahoma City, OK; daughter-in-law Page Vanatta of Minneapolis, MN; and son-in-law Jim Lenihan of Overland Park, KS. He is further survived by six grandchildren: Grady and Griffin Lenihan of Overland Park, KS; Layne Vanatta of Seattle, WA; Reid Vanatta of Minneapolis, MN; and Dylan and Emma Vanatta of Overland Park, KS. A daughter, Tracy Lenihan, a son Chris Vanatta, a daughter-in-law Liese Vanatta, and a brother Joe Vanatta preceded him in death.

Chet graduated from Bartlesville High School in 1953. He attended the University of Oklahoma on a football scholarship, and in the summer of 1954 volunteered for the military draft, serving two years in the US Army. Upon his honorable discharge in 1956 he transferred to the University of Kansas, where he also played football.

Chet and Patsy were married in KU’s Danforth Chapel in May of 1958.

He graduated summa cum laude from KU’s Business School in January of 1959.

After three years with AT&T in Kansas City, Chet returned to KU, earning a master’s degree in accounting in 1962.

Chet then joined the public accounting firm of Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young) in Kansas City. During his 23-year career with Arthur Young, he attended the Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program (AMP); held various positions in Kansas City, Dallas, Chicago and in New York City where he served as the Firm Managing Partner (essentially COO of the U.S. organization).

In 1985, Chet retired early at age 50 from Arthur Young and moved to Lawrence, KS, where he began teaching accounting and financial classes at KU Business School’s MBA program, as Paul Adam Distinguished Lecturer. His involvement with KU included being Chairman of the Alumni Association and a trustee of the Endowment Association, where he served as chair of the Finance Committee for fourteen years. He received the Fred Ellsworth Award for service to KU’s Alumni Association and the Distinguished Service Award from KU for service to mankind. Chet also served on the Boards of Directors of multiple private and public companies and nonprofit organizations.

After having major eye problems, he and Patsy moved to Tucson in 1995, and Chet began pursuing a Master of Theology with Fuller Theological Seminary of Pasadena, CA. In 2002 they moved to Monkey Island, OK, and soon after Chet received his Masters in Theology and became a pro-bono staff minister for the First United Methodist Church of Grove, OK.

In 2009 Chet finally really retired. He and Patsy moved to Leawood, KS to be closer to family.

In 2020 they moved to Lakeview Village, a lifetime care retirement community in Lenexa, KS.

Chet lived a long life and was grateful for all the experiences and people who were a part of it.

Memorial service will be held June 14th, 2pm, at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, KS with reception to follow.

Inurnment will be at Pioneer Cemetery in Lawrence, KS.

Donations in lieu of flowers to Operation Breakthrough or Doctors Without Borders. Donations may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary 120 W. 13th St. Lawrence, KS 66044 or directly to the organizations.