Daniel Maynard Dibble III

1932-2006 Daniel Dibble, 73 years old, passed away at home, May 25, 2006, with his family at his side. A memorial service and reception will be held 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 27, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 40th and Main, Kansas City, Mo. A private burial will take place at Chautauqua Lake in New York. Daniel was the son of Sallie and Ernest Dibble and grandson of Elsie and Tom Lillard, all pioneer families in Topeka, Kan. All have predeceased Daniel. Dan went to grade school and high school in Topeka before entering University of Kansas, where he received his B.S. Degree in Business and was a life member of Sigma Chi fraternity and served as its vice president. Directly after college, he married Jean Gordon and continued to serve in the Air Force as a Second Lieutenant before entering Washburn Law School in Topeka. He was editor-in-chief of the Law Review, a National Moot Court finalist and graduated Magna Cum Laude, number one in his class. The day after his law school graduation, Dan moved to Kansas City and began working in a 16-member law firm that grew into the 275-lawyer firm now known as Lathrop & Gage L.C. Over the course of his 45-year legal career, Dan chaired the firm's Litigation Department and served as a managing partner for four years. Dan was a trial lawyer who was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1959, the U.S. Supreme Court, and appeared in courtrooms throughout the United States and on several occasions outside the U.S. Dan was also active in the community. He served on the St. Luke's Board of Directors for 20 years, as well as on the boards of Helping Hand Institute, Agricultural Hall of Fame, Crippled Children's Nursery, Children's Center for the Visually Impaired, Nelson-Atkins Museum Friends of Art (serving as president for 5 years and a member of the Society of Fellows), Washburn Law School Association Board of Governors and the Vestry of St. Paul's Church (including 10 years as Treasurer). Dan was a member of the Kansas City Country Club, a former member of the River Club, University Club, Saddle & Sirloin Club, Mercury Club and the Amateur Radio Club (having maintained their highest rank). A lover of classical music and opera, Dan typically knew every note, but could never sing; he was a historian and avid reader. A great outdoor enthusiast, he loved the days of camping with the family, sailing and tennis. Daniel's interest ranged from King Tut to roses. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Jean; a daughter, Nancy Jean Elzie and her three boys, of Fredericksburg, Va.; a son, David Ernest Dibble and his wife Camille, with three boys and a daughter of Tiburon, Calif. and a son, Thomas Hemingway Dibble and his wife, Annie and their daughter, of San Francisco; a brother, Paul Dibble and his wife Caralee, of Corpus Christi, Texas and his beloved puppies, James and Victoria. A man of the highest integrity will be missed forever by his family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to St. Paul's Episcopal Church or St. Luke's Hospice, 3100 Broadway, Suite 1000, Kansas City, MO 64111. (Arrangements: D.W. Newcomer's Stine and McClure Chapel, 816-931-7777)