David Blasiar

1941 - 2026

The Frank Blasiar family lived in Newton, Kansas where Dave attended public schools. He graduated from Newton High School 1959. Being the first person in the Blasiar family to attend college, he started his education at University of Wichita and Bethel College before transferring to Kansas State University where he earned the Bachelor of Science Architectural Engineering in 1965. Dave was grateful to work for his uncle Wesley Burk, Sr., in the construction business in McPherson, Kansas, when not in school. Much of Dave's success was founded on experiences with Wesley.

He was granted leave from ROTC summer camp at Fort Riley, Kansas, in 1964 to participate in his sister Sharon's wedding where he met the love of his life – Virginia Lee Jantz. Dave and Virginia were married June 6, 1965, at Grace Hill Mennonite church near Whitewater, Kansas, with several Triangle Fraternity brothers participating. Their first home, of thirteen, was in Jardine Terrace on Kansas State University campus. Upon graduation from Kansas State in August 1965, they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where Dave was pleased to have the opportunity to work as an architect at Black & Veatch until December, at which time they moved to Alexandria, Virginia, where Dave started his active-duty responsibilities as an Army Combat Engineer at Fort Belvoir. They were fortunate to be together for his three-year overseas assignment in Germany, where he rose to the rank of Captain. Working closely together as a team in the Army set the pattern for their life together as they addressed challenges, opportunities, and adventures. First son, David, Jr., was born at the US Forces Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany. They returned to Kansas City where Dave served Black & Veatch as a structural engineer on design of water and wastewater facilities. They lived in Prairie Village and Leawood, Kansas, where sons Darin and Dan were born.

Dave took advantage of Black & Veatch incentives and the GI bill to earn the Master of Science Civil Engineering at the University of Missouri in 1973. He accepted an assignment to establish the Black & Veatch office in St. Louis where he served as project manager for a variety of clients producing award winning projects in St. Louis, Baltimore, Indianapolis, and Dallas. All three boys graduated from Parkway North High School in Creve Coeur, Missouri. They subsequently earned Bachelor of Science degrees in engineering as well as advanced degrees in engineering and other scientific disciplines.

Experience in St. Louis provided the foundation for additional responsibilities that led to living in San Diego, Las Vegas, Singapore, London, and back to Kansas City – all serving Black & Veatch clients and offices world-wide. Dave retired as chief engineer for water division of the firm in 2008. He and Virginia built the home of their dreams in south Overland Park, Kansas that includes retaining walls of his own design facilitating gardening and landscaping on a steeply sloping site. Dave established Blasiar Engineering to continue services for New York City Office of Management and Budget as well as a variety of other clients.

The boys married wonderful women. David and his wife Stephanie Wren Blasiar live in Houston, Texas. Their son Dalton is a police officer in Overland Park, Kansas. Son Colby is an engineer in St. Louis. Darin and his wife Marilyn Tanner Blasiar have twin sons, Adam and Andrew, in high school in Chesterfield, Missouri. Dan and his wife Renee Spencer Blasiar live in Town and Country, Missouri, and have a daughter, Bailey, also in high school.

Dave and Virginia are members of the Church of Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. They served as a team throughout their lives. Their success is based on a fundamental aim to cause other people to succeed. Dave's approach was to recognize a person's competencies, give them a challenging opportunity, get out of the way, and offer guidance when needed. Virginia's gentle approach is to notice when people can do something, encourage them, and coach them, as necessary.