IN MEMORIAM

EXPANDED EULOGIES

Keith Ashcraft

Dr. Keith W. Ashcraft, 83, died Monday, July 29, 2019.

Keith was born Sept. 1, 1935, in Hillsboro, Kansas, the son of Chester and Rose (Rowland) Ashcraft. As a young man, he worked summers on the farm owned by his brother-in-law, Phil Adrian, from about age 10 until he got out of the Army at age 20. After the Army, Keith became a pre-med student at the University of Kansas, and then attended KU School of Medicine.

After finishing medical school and seven years of general surgical and pediatric surgical residency, all at KU, Dr. Ashcraft completed his cardiac surgical training at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children in London as the Locus Tenens Consultant in Thoracic Surgery, a prestigious and unusual honor. With three board certifications in general, cardiothoracic, and urologic surgery, he returned to the U.S. with his family to spend a year at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. When he was offered the opportunity to join Dr. Holder in private practice, the Ashcraft family returned to Kansas City in 1973.

He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Connie; four children, Laura Way and husband Dennis, Nathan Ashcraft and wife Ruth, Lisa White and husband Randy, and Jim Ashcraft and wife Debbie; seven grandchildren, Jason Way and wife Caroline, Jonathan Way and wife Bevin Sivitz, Sidney Whits and wife Cali Simmons, Sean White and wife Amy McCasland, Kyle Ashcraft and wife Amanda, Lt. Cpl. Griffin Ashcraft, USMC, and Lily Ashcraft.

Keith was preceded in death by his parents; sisters Ruth Adrian and Joyce Book; and infant brother Robert Ashcraft.

There will be no visitation or funeral service, but a public celebration of Keith’s life will be 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019, at Indian Hills Country Club, 6847 Tomahawk Rd., Mission Hills, Kansas.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to FosterAdopt Connect, 18600 E. 37th Ter. S., Independence, MO 64057.