John Scanlan

Mass of Christian Burial for John William Scanlan, 86, Lawrence, will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Lawrence.  Burial will follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.    He died Saturday, September 10, 2011 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

He was born April 30, 1925 in St. Louis, MO the son of Francis Daily and Opal (Holmes) Scanlan.

John graduated from Christian Brothers Military High School in St. Louis, MO.  Shortly after graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp., during World War II where he served three years as a nose-gunner flying in the B-24’s”Chute the Works”.  His service in Pacific Theater started at Kwajalein and ended in Okinawa.  After the war he attended the University of Kansas where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture in 1950.

John was the president and co-owner of Kansas Construction Co., specializing in commercial & industrial buildings from 1956-1988.  He was responsible for many of the recognizable landmarks across the University of Kansas, Lawrence, and throughout the state.

Mr. Scanlan was a member of the Lawrence Housing Authority; Co-Chairman of Kansas State Construction Health, Welfare & Pension Funds; member of Kansas State Construction Laborers and Carpenters Apprenticeship Fund; American Arbitration Association; Kansas Public Service Company Advisory Board; St. John’s Catholic Church and serving on future planning committee; Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, having served on Board of Directors for two terms; a member of the Board of Directors at Lawrence National Bank; the University of Kansas Williams Educational Fund, Round Ball Club and Quarterback Club; a founding member of the Lawrence Noon Cosmopolitan Club, having been Past President.  He also received the Cosmo Distinguished Service Award in the years of 1964 and 1976.  He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 1372; B.P.O.E. Elks Lodge; Ballard Community Center Committee and Past President; member of the Girl’s Achievement Board; he had also served two terms for Human Resources Committee for City of Lawrence; Board of Directors of United Way and was Past President of Associated General Contractors of Kansas, Inc., and honorary member of the Board of Directors.  He was active in land acquisition for the local Lawrence Habitat for Humanity organization.

He married Helen Hebor on November 15, 1954 in Elizabeth, New Jersey.  She survives and resides in Lawrence.

Other survivors include three sons, John William Scanlan II and wife, Amy of Kansas City, KS; Michael Scanlan and Sharon Klender of Leawood, KS; William Scanlan and wife, Elizabeth of Denver, CO;  grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Shannon Dick, Edward Lewis, Matthew Scanlan, Alea Scanlan, John Sword, Karina Mitchell, Nicholas Shirley.

A rosary will be recited at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 with a visitation to follow at Warren-McElwain Mortuary.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials in his name to St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Habitat for Humanity or to the American Diabetes Association and may be sent in care of the mortuary.