Obituaries

Barry Lee Flinchbaugh
1942-2020

Dr. Barry Lee Flinchbaugh, 78, of Manhattan, KS, passed away, Monday, November 2, 2020. Memorial contributions may be directed to Barry Flinchbaugh Memorial Fund Kansas State University. Arrangements have been entrusted to Carlson's Irvin-Parkview Funeral Home and Cremation. He was 78 years old.

The charismatic Flinchbaugh was well known as one of the United States' leading experts on agricultural policy and agricultural economics. For more than four decades, he was a top adviser to politicians of both major political parties, including secretaries of agriculture, chairs of the U.S. House and Senate Agriculture committees, and numerous senators and state governors.

Flinchbaugh was involved to some degree in every U.S. farm bill written since 1968, and served on many national boards, advisory groups and task forces, providing input on domestic food and agricultural policy.

He served as the chairman of the Commission on 21st Century Production Agriculture, which was authorized in the 1996 Federal Activities Inventory Reform, or FAIR, Act, also known as the Freedom to Farm Act.

Flinchbaugh grew up in York, Pennsylvania, and earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Penn State University. He earned a doctoral degree in agricultural economics from Purdue University before joining the K-State faculty in 1971.

At the time of his death, he was professor emeritus in K-State's Department of Agricultural Economics, teaching a 400-level course in agricultural policy each fall. He also served several years as chair of the Landon Lecture Patrons, who support the university's prestigious Landon Lecture Series.

A dynamic speaker, it was reported that Flinchbaugh would receive as many as 100 speaking invitations per year. He authored more than 100 publications and co-authored a textbook on agricultural policy.

Flinchbaugh's no-nonsense style was both loved and cursed; he was known to lay out the facts of an issue whether it was politically correct or not. In a biographical sketch detailing his speaking qualifications, a farmer in Colby once said about Flinchbaugh: "I do not agree with a damn thing you said, but the next time you are in town making a speech, I will be here."

K-State honored Flinchbaugh with its prestigious Outstanding Teacher Award three times during his career. It is estimated that he taught agricultural policy to more than 4,000 undergraduate students. He connected the university to hundreds of thousands of people by giving presentations to farmers, agricultural business groups and more through its extension mission.

"Our students, faculty and staff are deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh, and our thoughts are with the Flinchbaugh family during this challenging time," said Ernie Minton, dean of the K-State College of Agriculture and director of K-State Research and Extension. "Barry was known as the absolute authority on agricultural policy for decades. Few faculty members have had the opportunity to impact so many students and at the same time affect national agricultural policy as Dr. Flinchbaugh.

"We are going to miss his presence on campus, his expertise, his direct talk, his friendship and his affable personality and wit," Minton said. "We will never forget the mischievous smile underneath his white beard and the bump of his walking cane on the floor following the delivery of a good one-liner."

Upon his retirement in 2004 as the state leader of agricultural economics, a news release from K-State Research and Extension quotes Flinchbaugh as saying he wants college students and experienced farmers alike to have fun while they're learning.

"But I also want them to be uncomfortable… to think outside the box. Occasionally you'll make somebody mad. That's one of the risks. But they'll remember what you said."

Flinchbaugh said one of his proudest professional moments came in 1971-1974 when he worked on a farm tax issue. During that time, he gave 300 presentations and visited all 105 counties in Kansas at least once.

"Barry Flinchbaugh was a man who loved his family, students, university and country," said Mark Gardiner, Gardiner Angus Ranch, Ashland. "He cared about all people, from the president of the United States to young people trying to learn. We all were better educated after learning from Barry, yet we were better people from experiencing his zest for life."

Flinchbaugh is survived in the family's Manhattan home by his wife, Cathy. Flinchbaugh’s family will conduct a private family burial and plans to host a public celebration of his life sometime after the pandemic. Contributions in honor of Flinchbaugh may be made to the Flinchbaugh Scholarship Fund, the Flinchbaugh Agricultural Policy Chair, or a charity of their choice in his name.

Alan Schroeder
1949 -2020

Dr. Alan Schroeder, 71, agricultural economist and lawyer (retired), died peacefully October 21 in Denver, Colorado with his wife Samantha by his side.

Alan was born in Fargo, North Dakota on October 6, 1949, the middle child of Robert and Sylvia Schroeder. He grew up on the family farm eight miles east of Fargo in the very northern reaches of Minnesota. He attended North Dakota State University (’71), University of Wisconsin (MS ’74, JD ’77, and PhD in natural resource economics ’82, studying under AAEA Fellow Dan Bromley).

He joined the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Wyoming in 1986 (the middle of a financial crisis in agriculture) where he spent his 27 year career teaching classes in natural resource economics, negotiation, and ag law, and served the state through his Cooperative Extension work, especially in conflict resolution. With his economics and law degrees, Alan was an important driver and creator of the state’s agricultural mediation program, and he trained hundreds of mediators. His material still serves as the foundation for the program's curriculum.

Alan thought of education as teachers and students who are travel companions, who briefly come together on a venture before going their separate ways. Campus students remember that each of Alan’s classroom journeys were based on real life stories – be they cases, articles or role plays – so that they entered into the world, and acted as professionals to analyze the problems and to make sound recommendations, just as they would do upon graduation. In his role as a teacher, he aspired, as he once wrote, “to share rather than preach, enriching rather than simplifying, and being in the world rather than above or outside it.” Serious students considered his courses in law and negotiation among the best and most useful in their college experience.

Colleagues remember an intrepid reader, a theatre-enthusiast, an unsurpassed listener, a careful editor, a deep thinker with a philosophical bend, and someone with a superb commitment to asking questions. His questions forced faculty and students to think beyond the decision at hand, to ponder the broader issues that were at work when actions needed to be taken. In one-on-one interactions with Alan, there was rarely small talk. Conversations centered on issues facing the department, the state, or agriculture. He generally interpreted what he heard, and then recast it in a larger follow-up question that stimulated more conversation. His notable authenticity caused him to be quickly accepted and revered by audiences. Colleagues also remember a man of notable faith, deeply engaged in understanding his relationship with God.

In accepting a teaching award in 2009, Alan wrote, “Our journey goes quickly—we feed each other through the substance of our stories and theoretic insights and find answers and ways to a ‘yes’ from an initial ‘no’. In the end, the students’ flames burn brightly, lit and enriched by our shared efforts and resources, long after the class concludes.”

Gifts in Alan’s name can be made to support either of Alan’s own bequests: a scholarship at the University of Wyoming to support undergraduates interested in pursuing agricultural law, or Covenant House, an organization in New York City that provides for homeless children.

Barry Bobst
1935-2020

Barry Wright Bobst, age 84, Harrodsburg, husband of Mary Lynn Elias, passed away on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at Ephraim McDowell RMC in Danville. Born September 7, 1935 in Albion, NE, he was the son of the late Garry and Leona (Wright) Bobst. He received his master’s degree in Agricultural Economics at the University of Nebraska, was a Professor of Agriculture at the University of Kentucky, was a 2nd Lt. in the US Army Reserve and enjoyed reading during his free time.

Survivors other than his wife include: two sons Gary Lloyd Bobst and Kenneth Douglas Bobst both of Harrodsburg, KY.

No services are planned at this time.

Russell Brannon
1931-2020

Russell Herbert Brannon, 89 of Gainesville passed away Tuesday October 6, 2020.

Those wishing to send online condolences to the family may do so atlittledavenport.com