Richard Arthur Yunghans “Dick”, 100 years old (or to be exact; 100 years, 9 months, and 23 days old) passed away peacefully on Saturday June 21, 2025 in Overland Park, KS.
Dick was born on August 29, 1924 to Emil and Edith (Zane) Yunghans on their 80 acre farm south of Lansing, KS. He was one of six children. Dick obtained his high school diploma from Lansing High School in Lansing, KS in 2002. He married Elsie Sherrard on January 9th, 1949 in Seneca, KS. Dick and Elsie had 4 children and lived in Piper, KS.
Dick proudly served his country during World War II in the United States Air Force completing 25 bombing missions, and the United States Air Force Reserves. Dick was awarded several medals and citations for his service during the war. On September 12, 2022, the French Ambassador to the United States flew from Washington D.C. to Kansas City to award Dick the National Order of the Legion of Honor which is France’s highest award for his service in the war. He was a Mason, Scottish Rite, Shriner, and a member of the Wyandot Indian Nation of Kansas. Dick was on the Piper School Board, the Prairie Township Board, and was the First Mayor of Piper City in Kansas. He worked at General Motors in Fairfax the majority of his career where he retired from but he also was a grain elevator inspector for the state of Kansas, he was a Lieutenant of the Wyandotte County Sheriff Department, he was a Chief Deputy for the Wyandotte County Election Commissioner, and a Chief Deputy for the Wyandotte County Register of Deeds.
Dick attended Wallula Christian Church and Wyandotte County Christian Church. He enjoyed participating in 4-H when he was younger and was a 4-H leader for 10 years in his adulthood. Dick loved fishing and had a house at Stockton Lake for years. He was also an avid K-State and KC Chiefs fan. Dick really enjoyed attending his annual Air Force reunions for the 484th Bomb Group hosted all over the nation with his wife and his son. He made a lot of great friends at the reunions including Dick Olson and Dave Blake. One of Dick’s biggest goals in life was to live to be 100 years old which he successfully accomplished on August 29th, 2024. He had a wonderful celebration with all of his family and friends.
Preceding him in death was his wife, Elsie (Sherrard) Yunghans; his daughter, Edith (Yunghans) Fry Sneed; his parents, Emil and Edith (Zane) Yunghans; his brothers Zane, Charles, Robert, and Sherman; and a sister Opal (Yunghans) Fulk. He is survived by his daughters Sandra (Yunghans) Myszka and Nancy (Yunghans) Chronister; his son Richard Yunghans II, his grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren.
A service will be held on Friday June 27th, 2025 at 11am at the Davis Funeral Chapel in Leavenworth, KS with entombment to follow at Mount Muncie Cemetery in Lansing, KS. There will not be a visitation before the service.