David Edgar Warren

David Edgar Warren, 84, of Wichita, KS, passed away on September 19, 2023. David was born

at home in Toronto KS, October 21, 1938, to Margaret Ann (Rogers) Warren and Robert Carroll Warren.

As a military family, Margaret and sons would return to Toronto, KS, while Robert established homes at his assignments. The boys got to know their Rogers relatives well and when David skipped school to fish, he learned ‘one doesn’t go unnoticed in Toronto’ as he later wrote. They moved to join their father often, for example they passed the cliffs of Dover and had Christmas on a ship on the way to post-WWII occupied Germany, where David learned basic German

He moved to Fort Benjamin Harris, Indiana, where David and friends sold cigarettes to the soldiers and blew up a foot bridge, back when this would have been punished with a belting instead of juvenile court. They moved to Arlington, VA, where David fished in the Potomac within view of the Lincoln Memorial. He graduated from was what then called Washington-Lee High School in 1956. When his parents headed to U.S. Army Garrison Presidio of Monterey, CA, he took the train back to Kansas to attend the University of Kansas. He graduated with a BA in 1960 and remained a lifelong Jayhawk.

At KU, David met Patricia Ann Binns, a smart, gorgeous co-ed. They married on June 4, 1960. He was in love with her completely, devotedly all his life. They started their young lives as an Army couple, living in Indiana and having their first child Shelley during David’s assignment as an Army Captain in Oakland, CA. They moved back to

Lawrence, KS and David earned a Masters in Public Administration (1964) from KU. Early jobs included City Manager Intern in Emporia, Kansas; Assistant City Manager in Springfield, MO; and City Manager in Harrisonville, MO. He also held City Manager positions in Maryville, MO, Winfield KS, Kent, OH and Ottawa, KS during his career. David and Patricia welcomed daughters Penny in Springfield and Suzanne in Harrisonville. Having learned the theory during graduate school, in these towns David learned in practice how to plan for commerce and beautification. He worked for Lehman Brothers in the financial industry in KC next but was pulled back to the mission of public service.

David returned to city management as the City Manager in Maryville, MO where he witnessed people trying to keep what they deemed to be undesirables out of housing. David put an end to this blatant abuse of their civil rights and was a champion for all people’s right the rest of his life. Most of David’s city management experience was in Winfield, KS where he oversaw the city utilities and city beautification projects. In retirement, David was on the Kansas Municipal Utilities Board. He worked long hours, days, and evenings, but made it home for dinner every night. Patricia and David retired to Leawood, KS and Overland Park, KS.

David was a very involved dad. He took his daughters hunting, sailing, running, and to play tennis or basketball. He bought horses for his daughters, ferried them to 4-H horse shows, and colluded with them to bring a tiny puppy into the house in his pocket. He shared and read books with his girls, and later with his six grandchildren. He and Pat were supportive of their girls as they started their families, babysat grandchildren many weekends, and hosted huge and loving holiday gatherings.

We remember David for his intellect, his self-ascribed role of Fortune Cookie Translator, his love of crossword puzzles, theater, opera, the Kansas City Chiefs, and especially KU basketball. David wrote poems and stories and painted watercolors. David has many years-long friendships, something he cultivated more as an adult than as a transitory military kid. We remember his fatherly advice, “if you want a friend, be a friend”.

David was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia (Binns) Warren; parents; and grandson, Carter Westfall. He is survived by brothers Robert Warren and Charles Warren; daughters, Shelley (Joseph) Aistrup of Auburn, AL; Penny Warren (Eric Johnson) of Boulder, CO; and Suzanne (Rusty) Westfall of Peck, KS; and five grandchildren:

Sarah Aistrup, Samuel Aistrup, Sydney Westfall, Zachary Westfall and Eleanor Rose Warren-Johnson.

When someone is such a stalwart pillar in your life it’s a surprise to see them grow old. When someone is always there for you, it’s devastating when they’re gone. All of us carry David within and so many enjoy the vibrant towns he managed. May he rest in peace, knowing how well loved he is.