James Harlan Mechem

Mechem, James Harlan 93, passed away Dec. 23, 2016, in Conway Springs, KS. He was born October 31, 1923 in Wichita, KS, and grew up in Topeka, KS. He was a medical technician in WWII, serving in Okinawa. He studied writing at the University of Iowa, where he met his wife, Phyllis, and at the University of Oklahoma. He worked as a technical writer at Boeing, a copy editor for the Wichita Eagle for 9 years, and a technical writer for Beech for 12 years. However, James was a writer of fiction. He published one book and many stories. He edited and published several different small literary magazines of poetry and stories, including Redstart, Out of Sight, and most recently Caprice. After his wife's death in 1996, he moved to Manhattan, New York where he lived until 2008. He moved back to Kansas at that time. James' literary works are currently in the Kansas Writers Archives at Washburn University in Topeka, KS. James was preceded in death by his wife, Phyllis; parents, Kirke and Katherine Mechem; sister, Rosemary Mechem Gordon; and brother, Richard Mechem. He is survived by brother, Kirke L. Mechem of San Francisco, CA; children, Christopher (Merry) Mechem of Austin, TX, Gregory (Tamara) Mechem of Littleton, CO, Therese (Michael) Rogers of Wichita, KS, Geoffrey (Jill) Mechem of Wichita, KS, and Kirke (Melissa) Mechem of Austin, TX; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Visitation at 11 a.m. and Funeral Service at 12 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016, at Reflection Pointe Funeral Home, 3201 S. Webb, Wichita, KS 67210. Burial at Ascension Catholic Cemetery, Wichita, KS. Kansas City Funeral Directors 913-262-6310.