Obituaries

Joe Langhofer

Photo of Joe Langhofer
Joseph "Joe" Junior Langhofer, 90, died peacefully on Monday, March 6, 2017, in his apartment at Lakeview Village, Lenexa, Kan. He was born near Woodbine, Kansas on June 16, 1926, son of Joseph and Esther Barrett Langhofer, the fourth of five children. He attended Grandview Grade School and graduated from Woodbine High School in 1944. He served in the U.S. Army from August 1944 to June 1946 with a Tank Destroyer Battalion during the European War. He was married to Phyllis Arlene Lady Langhofer in February 1945, and to them were born two sons, Steven Joe and Thomas Wendell Langhofer. They divorced in 1972. He was also married to Maxine Dibble, and then Christy Beltz. Upon his return to civilian life, he settled in Abilene, Kan., where he sold auto parts, worked for a trust company, and then entered the life insurance business, becoming a Certified Life Underwriter. He moved to Lawrence, Kan., where he eventually became a real estate broker and home builder. He helped many people qualify for their first home. He retired to Bella Vista, Ark., where he played golf and continued to build homes. Joe loved people and could carry on a conversation with anybody. He had a soft spot for dogs. He enjoyed repairing homes, playing golf, hunting pheasant, collecting coins and dancing. He was a perennial student of history and a generous financial supporter of many causes. A life-long Methodist, he began serious study of the Bible in his later years. Survivors include his sons, Steve (Karen Anderson), and Tom (Marcy); four grandchildren, Molly Barker (Hanley), Adam (Heidi Van Noy), Kathryn and Erin; two great-grandchildren, Laney and Crosby; two sisters, Veneta James of Webster Groves, Mo., and Norma Jean Drinen of Maize, Kan.; and many nephews and nieces. Visitation will be 2-4 p.m., Sunday, March 12 and a memorial service at 10 a.m., Monday March 13, in the Wesley Chapel at the Church of the Resurrection, 13720 Roe. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Healing House for the Joseph Langhofer Memorial Garden, 4420 Saint John Avenue, Kansas City, Mo. 64123. Fond memories and condolences for the family may be left at www.johnsoncountychapel.com.

Published March 10, 2017

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