Richard Burton Hanger

Richard Burton "Dick" Hanger, 90, of Topeka, passed away Monday, December 17, 2018.

Dick was born October 31, 1928, in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Orlando Burton and Adelaide Romain (Bush) Hanger. He was a 1947 graduate of Topeka High School and attended Washburn University.

Always a public servant, as a boy he regularly took salt tablets to the workers building Lake Shawnee. In 1951 he helped rescue victims of the Topeka flood. He was also a volunteer fireman for the Shawnee County Rural Fire Department. After a long service as a precinct committee man he was elected to two terms as Shawnee County Commissioner from 1960 to 1968. The present courthouse was constructed during his term in office, and he was instrumental in hiring Ted Ensley as Superintendent of Lake Shawnee. To honor his lifelong passion for the lake, a natural area is being constructed on the West side of the lake including Lake Shawnee Junior and its recent improvements making it handicapped accessible. Dick also served on the Kansas Public Employees Retirement Board (KPERS), as well as the Kansas Fish and Game Commission, where he successfully worked with other commissioners to build a large state fish hatchery below Lake Milford Dam near Junction City. He was also a 50 plus year member of the Topeka Lodge No. 17 AF & AM and the Topeka Scottish Rite, and Arab Shrine, where he was a charter member of the Shrine Boaters Unit.

Dick married Dorothy Anne "Dotty" Greene on June 12, 1949, who he had known since grade school at Central Park Elementary. She survives. He is also survived by his son, David Hanger and granddaughter, Laurell Reynolds. Their daughter Melissa, passed away in early 2000, after a long courageous battle with MS. In 2005, in honor of Melissa, Dick and Dotty along with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, created the Melissa Anne Hanger Apartments here in Topeka providing low income adults with MS and other physical disabilities an affordable and fully accessible option to call home.

Dick was an avid outdoorsman with a passion for wildlife, boating, hunting, fishing, and SCUBA diving. He purchased a large acreage southeast of Topeka along the Wakarusa River and restored it to wetlands for the benefit of wildlife. Known as the "Richard B. Hanger Bog and Wildlife Area", it is now being donated to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks for supervised educational programs benefitting youth, persons with disabilities, and veterans.
Dick and Dotty were among the first people to waterski on Lake Shawnee. They have travelled throughout the world, and have sailed extensively in the Mediterranean and the Bahamas.

Dick made everyone he met feel special.

A memorial ceremony will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at Mount Hope Cemetery & Funeral Chapel, 4700 SW 17th Street, Topeka. Dove Cremations and Funerals, Southwest Chapel is assisting the family.

Memorial contributions may be made to National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 7611 State Line, Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64114 or charity of donor's choice.

To leave a special message for Dick's family, please visit the guestbook below.