Russell Jean Larkin

Russell Jean Larkin passed away on Wednesday, November 27, 2013. He was 91.

Russ was born November 6, 1922 in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Russell Victor Larkin and Florence Jeanne Rossi Larkin.

He was a 1940 graduate of Shortridge High School, Indianapolis, Indiana and the University of Missouri, Columbia. He was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order and a president of its chapter at Mizzou graduating with a BA degree in February 1947.

He was a captain in the Air Force and served as a reconnaissance intelligence officer (1943-1946) with the 8th and 9th Air Forces in Europe during World War II and with the Tactical Air Command during the Korean War (1950-1952).

He was co-owner and editor of The Odessan newspaper, Odessa, Missouri from July 1948 thru June 1949. He then joined the fundraising firm of Thomas Richard Finn and Associates, Kansas City from 1954-1965, as a senior campaign director and general manager. He brought his family to Lawrence, Kansas in November 1965 to work with the Kansas University Endowment Association. Later he was an accounting supervisor with Farmland Industries, Lawrence, Kansas retiring in late 1984.

He was a life member of the 8th Air Force Historical Society and the 7th Photo Reconnaissance Group Association. He was a Mason and a member of the Scottish Rite and Ararat Shrine. He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Military Officers Association of America, the Friends of the National Parks at Gettysburg, the American Air Museum in Britain, the Cato Institute, the National Rifle Association, First Christian Church, and one of the early members of Alvamar Country Club, starting in 1968.

Russ enjoyed camping, fishing, golf, woodworking, steam trains and history. Coming from three previous generations of printers he continued printing as a hobby in retirement.

He was blessed by marrying Harriet Sue Mattingly on Feb 7, 1954.

He is survived by Harriet (of Tavares, FL) and children Carolyn Chancellor and husband Jim (Clermont, FL), Lisa Keel and husband Greg (Raleigh, NC) and Lance Larkin (Denver, CO), five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Mike Conley Hospice House, Clermont, Florida.