John P. St. John Memorial High School
Class of 1941

(Aug. 25, 1924 — Jan. 4, 2016)

After high school, Ed attended the University of Kansas before enlisting in the Army where he served as a topographical engineer (mapmaker) in England and northern France. After World War II, he and his wife came to Olathe and Ed returned to Burns Printing where he had worked during and after high school. He later purchased the local printing company, now operated by his son Alan, also an Olathe High School alum. Mayor Robert Manning appointed him to the first Board of Zoning Appeals, which he served on for more than a decade. His civic leadership included Johnson County Old Settlers, the Kiwanis, Optimists, Jaycees, chamber of commerce, and the Chur, Switzerland Sister Cities committee. In addition to being an active member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, Ed helped organize nearly 60 reunions of Army topographical engineers in the United States and in England.