Franklin Virdus Alton

Franklin Virdus Alton (1939-2025)

Husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather died at age 86 on July 27th, 2025.

Virdus was born in Little Sioux, Iowa in 1939 to Hays and Alice Alton. He was the youngest of seven children. In his youth, Virdus enjoyed playing baseball and basketball. He graduated from Little Sioux High School in 1956.

Virdus married his high school sweetheart, Patricia Gee, on June 6, 1959 at First Christian Church in Council Bluffs, Iowa. They called Council Bluffs home for twenty five years and raised their four sons—Ken Franklin, Jeffrey Warren, Brian Patrick, and Greg Michael—there until moving to Olathe in 1985. Virdus and Pat enjoyed traveling together. Their adventures included a visit to all fifty states, Mexico, and Canada! Of course, Virdus always drove over flying!

Virdus worked as a truck driver and dispatcher for I-Go Van and Storage out of Omaha for fifteen years. He then worked at Allied Van Lines Corporate Office in Omaha for ten years. After moving to Olathe, Virdus became Vice President of Operations at Fry Wagner Moving and Storage. He ended his career with the trucking industry at Trans AM Trucking as Assistant Risk Manager. He also held many additional part time jobs including a gas station attendant and night manager at King Louie Rose Bowl in Omaha.

Throughout his life, Virdus prioritized the Lord and service to the church. He and Patricia helped plant Twin Cities Christian Church where he served as deacon, treasurer, and high school youth sponsor. Once in Olathe, Virdus and Pat became members of Olathe Christian Church. Virdus served as deacon and coordinator of shut in communion, welcome center, and mowing. He enjoyed his Sunday School Class on Sunday mornings and OWLs group on Wednesday mornings. Virdus was always ready to drive anybody from the church to doctor’s appointments or visit them in the nursing home.

He loved sports, and his passions were baseball and bowling. If the Royals or Chiefs were playing, Virdus was watching or listening! He played baseball in high school, and when he got older, he played softball on the church team. He was Little League Coach for his sons—a time spanning twenty five years! Virdus bowled on a team from the time he was sixteen until this past June when he bowled his 42nd consecutive National USBC Championship. All his sons have bowled with their dad on a team at various times, and at one point, all four sons and Virdus were on the same team. You could always find an Alton bowling on Tuesday nights!

Though a humble and quiet man, his family was a source of great pride. He worked many hours to prov ide a good life for his wife and sons. He delighted in his wife’s service to children at church. He was proud of each son’s family and career success. His granddaughters were the light of his life and his great grandchildren really stole his heart. He was happy to see them all succeed in life.

Preceded in death by his parents, Hays and Alice Alton, his siblings Ilene, Kenneth, Juanita, Dwight, Virginia and Darlene, and their spouses.

Those left to treasure his memories: his wife, Patricia(Gee) Alton; his sons Ken(Suzanne), Jeffrey(Sheila), Brian(Carrie), and Greg(Robyn); granddaughters Jenna Wilson(Cole), Natalie Crow(Wesley), Lauren, Mallie, Landry, Henley and Ashlyn; great-grandchildren Eliana Crow and Richard Wilson; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be given to the Olathe Christian Church-Building Fund.

To share a memory of Virdus, or to leave a message for the family, visit the guestbook below.