Ladislav E. “Laddie” Havlik, 97, of Kanopolis, was born near Bison, OK, Jan. 29, 1917, to Anton and Leopolda (Stary) Havlik. He passed away Oct. 15, 2014, at the Ellsworth Good Samaritan Center, Ellsworth, Kansas. He was preceded in death by his parents, and all nine of his siblings: Anton Havlik, Frances Shimanek, Wenceslaus Havlik, Mary Kristek, Frank Havlik, Dr. Albert Havlik, Polly Belton, Stanley Havlik, and Sister Oswald Havlik. As a small child, he moved with his family to a farm in Marion County, near Tampa, Kansas. He attended a rural elementary school near Tampa and graduated from Tampa High School. He later furthered his education by attending Wichita State University and studying electronics by correspondence from DeVry Technical Institute in Chicago.

During his long life, he worked on ranches in Colorado, helped on construction of Grand Coulee Dam in Washington, and enlisted in the Armed Forces, where he served in both the Army Engineers and the Army Air Force before, during, and after WWII. Following the war, he was employed by Quaker Oats Co. in Iowa, operated his own mechanics shop in Marion, Kansas, and at various times, worked for Boeing and Cessna Aircraft in Wichita, and Lockheed in Atlanta, Georgia. He was employed for several years by Hesston Corp., Hesston, Kansas, and owned and operated Tampa Lumber and Hdwe., in Tampa, Kansas.

In 1975, Laddie and his family moved to Kanopolis, where he was employed by Automated Farm Supply, which later became Hi-Plains Sand. He ended his working career with the City of Kanopolis in 1997.

Laddie married Luetta Steele in Wichita April 15, 1953. They were blessed with four children, Jim (Linda) of Dora, Alabama, Carol (Gary Boyd) of Glenrock, Wyoming, Anne Deming (Verl) and Jane Coyne (Dave), both of Ellsworth, Kansas. There are seven grandchildren, Erica Cossich (Cal) of Mobile, Alabama, C.J. Havlik (Violet) of Hiram, Georgia, Cassie Coffin (Cody) of Ranchester, Wyoming, Randi (Eric) Nienke of Ellsworth, Kansas, Anthony Kepka of Eudora, Kansas, Lindsey (John) Decker of Salina, Kansas, and Ross Deming of Kanopolis, Kansas. There are twelve great-grandchildren (and two on the way!).

Visitation will be 1 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16 at Parsons Funeral Home with family present 6 to 8 p.m. A vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Funeral mass will be 10 a.m. Friday, October 17, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Kanopolis with burial following at Kanopolis Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Kanopolis Library, St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Kanopolis, or Kanopolis Fire Department c/o Parsons Funeral Home, PO Box 45, Ellsworth KS 67439. parsonsfh.com