Ernest Fleischer
January 4, 1933 - January 18, 2022
Prairie Village, Kansas - Ernest M. Fleischer died on January 18, 2022 in Prairie Village, Kansas following a years-long struggle with a degenerative neurological condition. He was 89. He was deeply devoted to his family. The fields of finance and tax law were his passion. Dogs, wood-burning fireplaces and baseball brought him joy.
Ernie was born January, 4, 1933 in St. Louis, Missouri to Sam and Judith Fleischer. An only child, he grew up in the suburb of University City. Color blind, he was unable to join his father in the family textile business. In high school, he earned his Eagle Scout, played saxophone in the band and was a member of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps. He attended college locally at Washington University, where he served in the ROTC and earned three degrees — BA, BSBA and MBA —in four years, along with his CPA. He was drafted by the US Army to serve in the Korean War and trained as an anti-aircraft artillery gunner, but the war ended before he could be deployed. Later, he was assigned to the Finance Corp where he served two years helping to overhaul the army's cost accounting system.
He attended Harvard Law School, and following his second year, while serving as a summer associate at Kansas City's Stinson, Mag and Fizzell law firm, he met the love of his life, Barbara Fredkin. The two met on a blind date in June 1958 and were married two months later. At summer's end, they drove back to Cambridge as husband and wife.
After graduation from law school in the spring of 1959, the couple returned to Kansas City and Ernie joined Stinson, Mag full-time. Their daughter Pam was born that fall and their son Ernest W., "Chip," was born in 1964. Ernie was a tax law partner at Stinson Mag for nearly three decades before leaving the firm to serve as chairman of Franklin Savings Association. He spent the final years of his working life of counsel to the Husch Blackwell law firm.
Surviving Ernie are Barbara, his wife of more than 63 years, his daughter Pam and her husband Ken Weiner, his son Chip and his wife Amy Josephthal Fleischer, his granddaughter Emily Rosenbaum and her husband Neil Rosenbaum, grandsons Ernest Daniel and Hayden William Fleischer, and great-grandchildren June Hartstone, Mick Ernest, and Sonny Jean Rosenbaum. Ernie chose to donate his body to the University of Kansas School of Medicine and Medical Center for education and research, so rites of burial will not be performed until a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Ernie's honor to The Midwest Innocence Project, themip.org, or the nonprofit organization of one's choosing.

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Published by & from Jan. 22 to Jan. 23, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
for Ernest Fleischer

Sponsored by Kansas City Star.

8 Entries

Jim Borthwick

January 16, 2023

He was the most logical person I ever met. And he was the only person who strictly lived by that logic, even when it went against his own personal interest. It was a privilege to have known Ernie Fleischer.

Tom Weigand

March 29, 2022

I am so fortunate to have known Ernie. He was an example of how business should be done. Such a humble man with a keen sense of humor. A family man so proud of his wife and children. Never a bad word about anyone. I´m fortunate. His family is blessed and he is at peace. We cannot ask for anything more. Anyone who knew him will never forget him.

Jim Borthwick

February 23, 2022

I'm late in offering this message to Ernie's family. But I want to say that I consider it one of the privileges of my life to have known and worked closely with Ernie Fleischer on several pieces of litigation. He was not only one of the smartest people I've known, he was one of the most principled. And not only that, he was always cheerful, optimistic and looking forward, not back. I could tell many stories that would demonstrate each of those characteristics. All in all, he was a good man and one of the most memorable persons I ever met.

Kirsten Byrd

January 24, 2022

Dear Barbara, Chip, and Pam,
I am so sorry for your loss. Ernie was such a brilliant, principled, and kind person. I am so lucky to have known and worked with such a remarkable person. He will be missed. I send my condolences to you and the rest of your family.

Larry Moore

January 24, 2022

I met Ernie in 1972 when he started helping me with extensive tax issues. We "hit it off " immediately and started a friendship which lasted all these years. He started out as my tax advisor and soon became my mentor in business and and my confidant in many other facets of life. I was always very fond of Ernie and constantly enjoyed his dry sense of humor (usually laughing about issues that I considered difficult until he gave me his perspective on them). I treasured the easy manner of our relationship and the confidence that I gained from it. I already miss that and will always think of him and smile.
Larry Moore

Susan and Tom Freeman

January 24, 2022

Dear Barbara, Chip and Pam,
We are deeply saddened to learn of Ernie's passing. We know you have all had a very rough road these last 7 years, and are touched by how much love was shared between all of you with Ernie. He was a giant among men. He combined his intellectual brilliance with a compassionate heart. In so doing he showed us all how to be compassionate warriors in action. His legacies live on in your beautiful family and in the good work he left behind. We have made a contribution to the Midwest Innocence Project in memory of Ernie's values and care to help others who are unjustly accused and punished. Our deepest sympathy to you all at this time. With much love, Susan and Tomo

Brian Cain

January 24, 2022

Condolences

Mark Welker

January 23, 2022

Barbara, I was so sorry to hear of Ernie's passing. I often think of how much Ernie did for me. He was very kind and generous to me and played a very big role in developing not only my skills but also my client base. Many of my clients today were introduced to me by Ernie. I'll never forget the many lessons imparted to me by Ernie, but one that sticks out happened when a client was trying to get me to help them do something that I knew was wrong. Ernie said: "Mark, never do anything that would embarrass you if it were printed on the front page of the Kansas City Star." I miss Ernie.

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