Dennis Sooby Obituary

Dennis Franklin Sooby, 91, of Lawrence passed away at home on Monday, July 8, surrounded by his family. He was born in Larned, KS, to Benjamin and Edith (Hays) Sooby. His brother Ben Sooby and sister Evelyn Galliart predeceased him.

Dennis was raised in Larned, KS, where he learned to fly at the age of 16. During World War II he served in Japan in the Army of Occupation. After WWII he became a professional pilot. In his early years, he inspected electrical high- tension wires, dusted crops, towed banners, and even delivered the Wichita Eagle Sunday newspaper to about 90 rural customers by airplane in the late 1940s. After moving to Lawrence in 1954, he became a flight instructor for Erhart Flying Service. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, he flew a 1920s-era Ford Tri-Motor to air shows around the Midwest. He was the chief pilot for the University of Kansas for many years and retired from flying with the university in 1992. By the time he retired, he had logged nearly 20,000 hours as a pilot.

During retirement, he and his wife Delores enjoyed attending KU basketball games, and they traveled to many NCAA postseason venues to watch them play, planning their route between brew pubs along the way.

Dennis is survived by his wife Delores "Dolly" of the home, daughter Rita of Lawrence, KS, sons Steve (Marlene Rupp) of Vero Beach, FL, Thomas of Las Vegas, NV, and Larry (Ann) of Wichita, KS.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Douglas County Visiting Nurses Association, 200 Maine Street, Suite C, Lawrence, KS 66044, kansasvna.org; or the Lawrence Humane Society, 1805 E. 19th Street, Lawrence, KS 66046, lawrencehumane.org.