He began his career as a door-to-door fine china salesman, later venturing into aircraft sales to become vice president at Johnson County Executive Airport, where he learned to fly and was affectionately known as BBW (Big Boss Wiebe). He went on to own Corporate Aircraft Company at Gardner Municipal Airport.
It was often said Archie had nine lives. As a young man he narrowly missed walking into an explosion in Wichita, and, at 45, he survived a plane crash and learned to walk again despite a spinal cord injury. In later years, he would overcome other health struggles that nearly took his life.
If you met Archie, he always had stories to tell. From meeting Neil Armstrong to befriending Bob Dole to repairing Wayne Newton’s plane. He lived life to the fullest, traveling to Las Vegas to see Elvis and Frank Sinatra, visiting Pearl Harbor, driving cross-country in his convertible Cadillac and flying his family to Disneyland and Disney World. He loved roller coasters, going to the casino and a good steak dinner with a whiskey sour.
Archie was an avid bowler and sports fan, and could be found in the third row, fifty-yard line at every Chiefs game with his son. He also enjoyed cheering on the Kansas City Royals and KU Jayhawks.
He will be missed every day by his daughter, Debbie (Tony), and son, Todd. A private family service will be held in Goessel, KS. Donations in Archie’s honor can be made to the Kansas Humane Society in Wichita, KS.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.5