John Franklyn Baumgartner

BAUMGARTNER, John Franklyn "Frank", the oldest living former President of the Kansas City Board of Trade, died Monday of natural causes. A Memorial Celebration of His Life will be held at J. HENRY STUHR, INC. DOWNTOWN CHAPEL, 232 Calhoun Street, Charleston, South Carolina on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. Inurnment will be held at a later date at Village Presbyterian Church, Prairie Village, Kansas. Born August 16, 1920 to the late Otto and Lillian Baumgartner in Salina, Kansas, he attended the University of Kansas where he was business manager of the campus newspaper and a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. He received a Bachelor's degree from Kansas in business administration in 1942. Baumgartner joined the US Naval Reserve in December, 1941, attended Midshipman's School at Columbia University in New York City. He was commissioned Ensign in March, 1943. He participated in ten amphibious landings by the USS Harris on Japanese-held islands in World War II and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. Following the war, he served briefly in Tsingtao, China. He is survived by his wife of more than 64 years, Ada Lee Fuller Baumgartner; brother, Paul Baumgartner (Linda) of Colorado Springs, CO; daughters, Barbara Brewer (Tom) of Charleston, SC and Lynn Henry (Butch) of Aiken, SC; grandsons, Dr. Matthew Brown (Kathy) of Linwood, KS, Patrick Brown (Caroline) of Johns Island, SC, Kyle Henry (Jennifer) of Dallas, TX and Brian Henry (Tracy) of Sanford, ME, and eight great- grandchildren. Baumgartner lived in Tucson from 1989-2004 and attended Northminster Presbyterian Church and held membership at Ventana Canyon Golf and Racquet Club. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 2090 Executive Hall Road, Suite 130, Charleston, 29407. Memorial messages may be written to the family by visiting our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.