James Bruce Eighmey

James Bruce Eighmey 80, passed away Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at St. Luke’s Hospice House in Kansas City, Missouri with his son and daughter-in-law at his side.  Bruce was the youngest of 3 sons born to Paul and Myrtle Eighmey on December 23, 1939.  He grew up with a love for basketball, played on the high school team and graduated from Sedgwick High in 1957.  He then attended Parsons Junior College and acquired his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Teacher’s College of Emporia.  Bruce went on to share his passion for government and history with hundreds of high school students throughout his 33 year career at Argentine and J.C. Harmon High Schools in Kansas City, Kansas.

Some of his proudest achievements would include working with ‘Project Close Up’ taking students to Washington D.C. and attending the Presidential Inaugurations of former Presidents: Reagan, Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush.   Bruce continued to share many tales and fond memories of former students, some of which serve in government today.

In Bruce’s later years, through arduous and meticulous research, he compiled an historical accounting of the events that occurred in his lifetime dating back to the early 1950’s and throughout the time period of WWII.   Bruce would often refer to this partial recounting of his life as his “dash project”.  By this, he meant to encapsulate the unnoticeable and simple, yet powerful, “dash” between a person’s date of birth and date of death.   This published work is titled, “Winds Over Sand Creek”, and a copy has been placed in the Sedgwick City Library.

Bruce will always be loved and remembered for his love of the outdoors, his favorite hunting dog Reo, his love of travel and discovery, and attending KU basketball games with his son, Brent.

Bruce is survived by his son Brent (Denise) Eighmey of Tonganoxie, Ks,  Niece Jan (John) Conard of Lawrence, Ks., Great Niece Katie Conard, Great Nephew Spencer Conard, Nephew Jim (Donna) Eighmey of California, sister-in-law Judith Eighmey  of Lawrence, Ks, grandchildren Terry (Heather) Graves and Joy (Lance) Hayden,  and two Great Grandchildren,  Wyatt Graves and Lily Hayden.     Preceding him in death are Bruce’s parents; Paul and Myrtle Eighmey,  a brother Paul William “Bill” Eighmey, sister-in-law, Joan Eighmey, brother Jack Eighmey, and Great Nephew Aaron Eighmey.

There will be a visitation at Petersen Funeral Home, 215 North Main Street Newton, Kansas on Monday, August 10th, between 10:00am and Noon.  Graveside service will also be on Monday at 1:30 pm at Hillside Sedgwick Cemetery, Sedgwick Kansas. The Casket will be open briefly at the cemetery 15 minutes prior to the service.