Christopher Lee Flattery, 68 of Onaga passed away on Friday, March 24, 2023 at Community Hospital Onaga.
Chris was born February 25, 1955 in Winfield, KS to Joseph and Nina Lee Flattery. He went to St Mary’s Catholic School in Derby, KS until the third grade when his family moved to Lakewood, WA. In Lakewood, Chris and his brother Rick, enjoyed playing many sports including baseball and basketball together. In 1971, the family moved back to Derby where Chris finished out high school.
It was his Senior year at Derby High School, that Chris met, the love of his life, Vicki Ottaway. Chris was a star athlete both in high school and at Friends University in Wichita, KS where he attended on a basketball scholarship. Chris graduated from Friends University in 1977 with a bachelor of business administration.
Chris and Vicki married on November 5, 1977 at the Assumption of St Mary’s Catholic Church, Derby, KS. They resided in Wichita, KS until they moved to Topeka, KS in 1978 for Chris to attend Washburn Law School. Chris graduated with his law degree in 1981 and accepted a job practicing law with Wayne Stallard in Onaga, KS.
Chris practiced law in Onaga for 6 years. During that time, he spent a term being the assistant County Attorney for Pottawatomie County. Chris enjoyed helping others through the law and creating ties to the area.
In 1987, he decided to make a bold move and join Vicki full time in her family business. Chris and Vicki, with her brother Danny and sister Sandra continued to build and run Ottaway Amusement Company. Chris took particular pride in the Century Wheel, a 65 foot ferris wheel that he was the foreman of until he was 60 years old. His caramel apples were a work of art and he also made a mean corndog. Traveling with the carnival gives you a sense of family and Chris’s carnival family reached far and wide. He made many friends over those years and looked forward to seeing familiar faces at each location that the carnival traveled to.
Basketball was a lifelong passion of Chris’s as well as mentoring youth. This led him to Havensville Grade School where he was the coach of the both the Junior High girls and boys teams starting in 1987. In his 15 years as a “Tiger” he coached over 300 kids including his own three children, Laney, Carly and Tim. He spent countless hours after school helping develop the love of the game and teaching sportsmanship and respect.
Chris believed in his community and was always looking for ways to bring value to our area. He served on the Rural Communities Foundation and the Community Hospital Onaga Board. But his biggest community accomplishment was Cool Springs Golf Course. He and Vicki opened the 9 hole course in 2000. Chris loved playing men’s league and shooting the breeze in the clubhouse. They sold Cool Springs to the City of Onaga in 2008 and golfers are still getting challenged on hole 7 to this day.
Chris and Vicki retired at the end of the 2017 carnival season. This gave them more time to travel, enjoy each other and spend time with their children and granddaughters Ingrid, Bridgette and Charlotte.
Chris was someone who gave his all with everything he did. His sense of humor was unmatched and he always a smile for everyone. Chris always believed in the power of a team where together everyone achieves more.
Chris was preceded in death by his parents.
His wife Vicki survives of the home.
Other survivors include two daughters, Laney Heiberg (Shaun), Wichita and Carly van Gooswilligen (Robert), Havensville, a son, Timothy Flattery (Cole Bredehoeft), Columbus, OH, one brother, Richard Flattery, Lakewood, WA and three grandchildren, Ingrid, Bridgette and Charlotte van Gooswilligen.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 28th at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery. Chris will lie in state from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday at the Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Onaga. Family and friends will meet from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday at the church, where a Rosary will follow at 7:00 p.m.
