Calvin Kent Upp

Calvin Kent Upp (Kent), 97, peacefully died Wednesday, February 1, 2023, surrounded by his family.

Born in Wellington on June 30, 1925, Kent resided in Wellington for most of his life, relocating to Leawood, KS in March 2020 to be closer to family.

Kent was a graduate of Hutchinson High School in Hutchinson, KS, and soon after graduation, he entered the United States Army in 1943 at the age of 18.  He honorably served in the US Army with the 94^th Division in Europe during WWII as an Infantryman, Pvt. First Class.  The 94th Division landed on Omaha Beach three months after D-Day, and he remained with the 94^th until the conclusion of the war and transition to post-war occupation.  He returned to the United States in February 1946 and was honorably discharged.  The war impacted him greatly, and he never spoke of his experiences until much later in life.  He remained in contact with his Army buddies from the 94th, attending numerous reunions, always traveling to the reunions via train as he didn’t like to fly.

Using the GI bill, Kent enrolled at Baker College (now Baker University) in Baldwin, KS becoming the first in his family to graduate from college.  After graduation, he worked in Kansas City until 1956 when he was hired by Boeing Company in Wichita as an accountant and bid processor.  After 34 years, he retired from Boeing in 1990 but continued accounting work for the First Christian Church in Wellington where he and his family worshiped.

His post-retirement past times included playing the piano, investing, reading, politics, and collecting railroad memorabilia and model trains.  He shared his father’s passion for the railroad and passed along his extensive Marklin HO gauge model train collection to his family.  Kent is remembered as a “true gentleman,” a “kind and generous neighbor,” and “a wonderful uncle with a dry, quiet sense of humor.”

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bert E. Upp and May Wolf Upp, his two older sisters, Carley M. Upp and Nada K. Hutchison, and his brother-in-law Glen C. Hutchison MD.  He is survived by his sister Nada’s children and their families:  Marcia K. Honish of Kansas City, MO and her husband Richard A. Honish; Marc K. Hutchison, MD, JD of Marana, AZ and his wife Susan Graham Hutchison; Michael C. Hutchison, MD of Leawood, KS and his wife Kimberly Hoffman Hutchison; and Marla H. Crockett of Crested Butte, CO and her husband, Bruce L. Crockett.   Great-nephew/nieces include:  Rick Honish and his wife Rhona Honish of Sarasota, FL. and their children Carley Honish, Emily Honish and John James Glen Honish; Kristen Honish of Asheville, NC; Michael Courtney Hutchison of Sun Prairie, WI; Hannah Hutchison of Fitchburg, WI; Sarah Hutchison of Lawrence, KS and Katherine Hutchison of Leawood, KS.

A graveside memorial service will be held at 1:00pm Monday May 8, 2023 at the Prairie Lawn Cemetery in Wellington, KS followed by a reception at the First Christian Church of Wellington, 123 West 9th Street, Wellington, KS 67152.  In lieu of flowers the family suggests, contributions may be made to:  Baker University, Baldwin, KS, to the Upp Memorial Scholarship, PO Box 65, Baldwin, KS 66006.