Harry Robert Fitzpatrick

Harry Robert Fitzpatrick, Jr. - was born on April 8, 1921, to Harry Robert Sr. and Jennie Marie Fitzpatrick of Newkirk, Oklahoma and passed away June 21, 2014 in Wichita, at the age of 93. Harry was the next to the youngest, and the last surviving, of seven children. His brothers, Robert, Leonard and Warren, and sisters, Elizabeth, Norma and Marjorie, preceded him in death along with his wife, Evelyn, her six siblings, and grandson, Jason Pierce Lamoree.

Harry is survived by his daughters, Jan and Jill; son-in-law, Dan; grandchildren, Lisa, Randy, Nathan, Hayley, Joshua and Zachary; great grandchildren, Alec, Avlyn and Amelia; brothers-in-law, Roy Taylor and Bill Tibbetts; and sisters-in-law, Frances Fitzpatrick, Martha Fitzpatrick, Dottie Lanham and Nancy Lanham.

Harry learned to fly at 19 when he was in the Civilian Pilot Training program at Ark City (now Cowley County) Junior College. During his 2nd year of college, he enlisted in the Naval Air Force, right at the time of Pearl Harbor. He was stationed at numerous naval air bases but while in training at Traverse City, Michigan, in 1943, met and fell in love with Evelyn Lanham. They were married November 27, 1944, a few months after he returned from England.

After the war ended, Harry finished his term in the Navy at Brooklyn, New York, ferrying aircraft, but returned to Michigan in November of 1945 for the birth of his first daughter. The G.I. Bill provided an opportunity to attend two semesters at Michigan State and then move his family to Stillwater, Oklahoma, where he completed a 2 year course in aircraft technical school at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University). Harry further used his eligibility to get a commercial license and a flight instructor’s rating and was employed by OSU as a pilot and teacher for 3 years.

In 1952, the Fitzpatricks moved to Wichita, and Haysville 2 years later, where Harry worked for Boeing as a technical writer. After a lay-off in 1976, Harry went to Cessna to work another 10 years in the same position until he retired in 1986 to take care of Evelyn before her death.

Harry believed in civic involvement and was a member of the Haysville Lions Club, Haysville Peach Capital Rodeo Committee, and served two terms as City Councilman for Ward One during the 1960’s and early 1970’s.

Harry was fortunate to fall in love a second time and married Gladys Wheeler on April 19, 1995. With that marriage he gained three step-daughters, Pat, Mona and Susie, and sons-in-law, Joe, Stan, and Marvin. Joe preceded Harry in death.

Harry’s love for airplanes and flying was with him all his life. He carried a little scrap of paper in his billfold that contained a poem his Mother cut out of a magazine and sent to him when he enlisted in the Navy. At that time, the poem was practically unknown. But since World War II, it became quite well-known and popular – High Flight, by John Gillespie Magee, Jr:

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings.

Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hovering there,

I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue,

I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or even eagle flew.

And while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod

The high, untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

A celebration of Harry's life will be held 11:00 AM Saturday, June 28, 2014 at Smith Mortuary, 7031 S. Broadway, Haysville. A memorial has been established with The Kansas Aviation Museum.