Jon Dirk Milsap, 70, passed away on Aug. 27th at Lake of the Ozarks after a long fought battle with lung cancer. 

Jon Dirk was born in Wichita, Kan., Aug. 20, 1954, to Ray and Delores Milsap. He attended many schools growing up due to his fathers military service. He always spoke fondly of his school years like graduating 8th grade from Raymond, Kan. grade school, his freshman year at Alden High School and his sophomore year at Chase High School. He graduated from Brunswick High School, Brunswick, Ga. in 1972 and the U of Southern Colorado in 1985 with a degree in Geology.

He retired from the Federal Government after 33.5 years of service, During those 33.5 years he served as an Army Air Traffic Controller, Ft. Bragg, N.C., an FAA Air traffic Controller at Memphis, Tenn. and an Aeronautical Analyst/Supervisor for the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA), St. Louis, Mo. He deployed for six months at Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq in 2011 and six months at ISAF Headquarters Kabul, Afghanistan in 2013, supporting our war fighters.

He enjoyed many hobbies throughout his life from flying his antique 1946 Luscombe and Ercoupe airplanes, shooting sporting clays, skeet and trap, hunting and boating.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Ramona Delores (Stephens) Milsap. Jon Dirk is survived by Christine E. Milsap, wife; Rebecca K. Milsap, daughter; Travis R. Milsap, son; Sue Ann Milsap, sister; Cynthia Rae Vandagriff, sister; Ted A. Milsap, brother; three grandchildren, Amber, Scarlett and Piper; father and step-mother, Ray and Gerry Milsap.

Memorial service: Hilltop Cemetery, Raymond, Kan, 1 p.m. Sept., 28th with Jon Dirk’s best friend, Mike Yagel officiating. Celebration of Life following at Raymond gym. Memorials may be given to City of Raymond for the care and maintenance of the Raymond Gym Community Center.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Sept. 14, 2024