Michael Douglas Lura

Michael "Mike" Lura, a resident of Gardner, Kansas, passed away on February 22, 2025, at Olathe Medical Center.

Mike always put family first, and was deeply devoted to his wife, Carolyn, and his two daughters: Sara and Erin. He also loved attending events for his grandchildren: Micah, Noah, Delilah, Stella and Sophia. 

Mike was born on April 9, 1947, in Albert Lea, Minnesota. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1968, prior to marrying Carolyn in June 1968. They ended up in Klamath Falls, Oregon, where he earned the rank of Staff Sergeant. Mike and Carolyn returned to their hometown of Mason City, Iowa, in 1972, where he used his knowledge from the Air Force and turned it into a career in telecommunications. He started at Northwestern Bell in Iowa, then transferred to Omaha, Nebraska in 1977. After numerous promotions, the family relocated to Olathe, Kansas, in March 1987, where Mike began working for AT&T. He retired in 1998, but continued his work in retirement, drafting telecommunications legislation for the State of Kansas. In 2003, Mike and Carolyn made their final move to Gardner, Kansas. In his post-retirement life, he enjoyed being a Special Education bus driver for First Student for 15 years.

Additionally, in his retirement, Mike and Carolyn lived their life-long dream of traveling in their RV while making numerous trips with family and friends. A few of the locations they traveled to include Alaska, Colorado, and Michigan. 

Mike is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Carolyn Lura. He also leaves behind his daughters, Sara (Chris Marks) and Erin (Chris Meddings), as well as his grandchildren: Micah, Noah, Delilah, Stella, and Sophia. His nieces and nephews knew him as Uncle Mick: Connie, Janet, Amy, Jeff, Amanda, Josh, and Ryan.

Michael was preceded in death by his parents, Orris and Judy, his brothers, Lyal and Terry, along with his in-laws: Kenneth and Arlene Sweeney, Linda Sweeney, Terry and Nancy Theilen.

Memorials may be directed to the family for later designation.

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