Kenneth Dale Thornburg

Kenneth Dale Thornburg of Wichita peacefully passed away Wednesday, September 28, 2022. Born January 21, 1928 to Ellis E. and Beulah F. (Morrison) Thornburg of Wichita, Dale attended Arkansas Avenue, John Marshall and North High School.

Following graduation from North High School, Dale went to work at Arnholz Coffee Company. He bought his first motorcycle, a Harley Davidson, and started racing in 1947. While Dale primarily raced at Jeeps Motorcycle Club, he also raced at other tracks and events around the country. He raced any type of race he could, including Cross-Country, Hare and Hound, Up Hill and Side Car. His favorites were the Jack Pine Endurance Run, a 500 mile, 2 day, off road race through Michigan's back country and the Pikes Peak Motorcycle Hill Climb, climbing 4,725 feet, winding through 156 turns to the top.

After Dale was drafted into the Army and sworn in at Kansas City, MO on 12/13/1950, he moved to Fort Riley, KS and then on to the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, KY, Fort Benning, GA for parachute school, Fort Meade, MD, and Fort Drum in NY. In October 1951, Dale moved to Camp Desert Rock, NV to train for an atomic bomb blast at Yucca Flats, NV. Nov. 1951 Operation "Buster Jangle" "shot dog", at 0730 hours a "21 kiloton" atomic bomb was dropped from a B29 at 1417 feet over Yucca Flats, NV. Dale was a lifetime member of the National Association of Atomic Veterans, Inc. After being discharged from the Army on Dec. 12, 1952 from Fort Campbell, KY, he returned to Wichita and Arnholz Coffee.

Dale joined the Wichita Police Reserve Unit where he served until the mid 1970's, rising to the rank of Lieutenant. In addition to Arnholz Coffee, over the years, Dale was also employed with General Foods/Maxwell House Coffee and Learjet.

In 1952 a fellow motorcycle rider, introduced Dale to his sister, Ann Maurice Coleman. Dale and Ann were married in 1953. Like Dale, Ann also had a passion for motorcycle racing with both winning numerous trophies.

Dale and Ann lived in the house that he and his father built on the west side of Wichita for 28 years before moving to Yoder, Kansas in September 1985, where Ann and two cousins had previously opened "And Cousins Make Three", an antique/craft/gift shop in an old barn on property where one of the cousins lived. After purchasing the property from her cousins, they became primary owners for 21 years. They enjoyed the country life, where he did woodworking and she enjoyed painting, quilting and talked to everyone who entered the shop. While living in Yoder, Dale and Ann were very active with the annual Yoder Heritage Days celebration. After retiring from the shop, they moved back to Wichita in August 2006.

Dale and Ann were amazing partners in life, being married 66 years before her passing in September 2019. They enjoyed their three daughters, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Kenneth Dale Thornburg is survived by his daughters: Karen Mikesell and Deborah McDonald; six grandchildren: Joseph D. (Jennifer) Mikesell, Joshua Mikesell, Angela (Brent) Harrell, Megan McDonald, Matthew Benoit and Kaitlyn Benoit; seven great-grandchildren, Kelsey, Cole, Zachary, Morgan, Gunnar, Brantlee and Colborn. Dale was preceded in death by Ann, who was the love of his life, younger daughter, Carol Sue Benoit, son-in-law, Joseph I. Mikesell; parents, Ellis and Beulah Thornburg, his brothers, Wayne and Herschel and his sister, Wilma Fraley.

Private services will be held at a future date in Sylvia, KS.