Raymond Dwight Lohman

April 11, 2025

Raymond Dwight Lohman entered this world on February 12, 1948 at Donahue Memorial Hospital in Syracuse, Kansas.  Dwight peacefully passed away on April 7, 2025 at the age of 77 surrounded by friends and family at the Hamilton County Hospital, Syracuse, Kansas.

 

A lifelong resident of Southwest Kansas living in Kearny, Hamilton, and Grant Counties, Dwight grew up north of Kendall on his family’s farm.  Dwight unfortunately contracted polio at the age of 2, but it seemed that he never let that deter him.  He rode on a tricycle and his dad adapted a bicycle that he would get around on to keep up with and play with the cousins. None of his friends and family ever remember Dwight complaining about his condition, nor anything else. He always seemed to have a bright outlook on life.

 

Dwight attended school at Kendall and was a 1966 graduate of Kendall High School.  One of Dwight’s fondest gifts was a team-signed basketball given to him by Coach Barney Akers, Sr. Dwight was the team manager since he was unable to play the game. Some former classmates and friends remember helping him (sometimes carrying him) up and down the stairs at Kendall High School as back then, ADA was not in place and there was no elevator to use.  They always remarked he had the biggest smile on his face.  For his classmates, it was a labor of love for sure.  After high school, Dwight attended radio disc jockey school in Dallas, Texas, and worked at a radio station in Garden City.

 

Brother, as he was lovingly called by his dad and mom, worked on the family farm driving tractors and trucks.  Even though it was a challenge to get on and off the tractor, he never let anyone help – determined to do it on his own.  Dwight also worked in auto part stores because there was no one who knew more about or loved cars more than him.  Dwight loved to read car magazines and put many model car kits together.  He especially loved sports cars and Ford Broncos.  In fact, he proudly owned his own sports cars. His steering wheel was adapted with a “knob” that aided his driving while he made his memories in his beloved vehicles. 

 

Ding, as some of his Syracuse friends would call him, had a steel trap for a memory.  His friends and family remember many adventures in the sandhills, Moab, Utah, Queens Lake, Lake Powell, car races, and wherever they thought there would be funto be had.  Memories of dragging Main Street in Syracuse with Dwight are prominent to many.  But in most of those memories, he is with his best friend Craig Norton.  Everyone should be so fortunate to have a best friend like Craig.  He was a Godsend to Dwight.

 

Another love of Dwight’s were his dogs.  They were his children.   He had two of his favorites, Misty and Baron,cremated and will be buried with him. There was hardly ever a time that he didn’t have a dog companion.

 

At family reunions, there seemed to always be fried chicken.  Dwight always wanted the legs of the chicken because he said that maybe it would help heal his legs.  He was full of determination, perseverance, courage and had immense inner-strength but more of his best attributes were a great attitude and his laugh.  Dwight had the best laugh, and his smile would light up the room in spite of the adversities he faced.  His body may have been defined by polio, but not his spirit.

 

Dwight was preceded in death by his father and mother, Raymond and Hazel Lohman, his sister Cynthia Gallant, his paternal grandparents Lewis and Katie Lohmann, and maternal grandmother Nina Schultheiss.  He is survived by a nephew Ray(Mandy) Gallant of Junction City, Kansas, his very best friend Craig Norton and wife Krista of Syracuse, Kansas, his aunt Ruby Lohman of Lakin, Kansas, cousin/friend Terry (Judy) Maune of Kendall, Kansas, and many other cousins and friends. 

 

There will be no viewing as cremation has taken place.  Graveside service is set for Thursday, April 17 at 11:00 a.m. MST with burial next to his parents and sister at the Syracuse Cemetery.  

 

In lieu of flowers, a memorial to the Kendall Alumni Association has been set up.  These memorials can be mailed to Pat Moore, Kendall Alumni Treasurer, Box 117, Kendall, KS 67857 or Feller’s Funeral Home, Box 1253, Syracuse, KS, 67878.