George Launchbaugh, age 97, rural Sheridan County, Kansas, passed away on October 5th at a hospital in Hays. Mr. Launchbaugh joined Sheridan County Fire Department as a charter member/volunteer in 1970 at the McGraw Station and was still responding to calls in recent years. According to Steve Hirsch, 2nd Vice Chairman of the National Volunteer Fire Council, “Mr. Lanchbaugh was very likely the oldest, still responding volunteer firefighter in America.” Mr. Launchbaugh started his fire service career back when wet gunny sacks were the only piece of firefighting equipment available. His son Steve Launchbaugh, who is now station chief at the McGraw Station, said his dad often told him that they were able to appreciate the good fire equipment all the better because of the old equipment they had when he started.
Mr. Launchbaugh was born in the family home in Union Township, Sheridan County, on March 21, 1916 and graduated from high school in 1934. After service in the Navy in World War II he returned to the family farm in 1944. He was married to Carolyn Leist that same year and lived on the family farm their entire married life. Together they had two children, George Steven and Carol Lee, and eventually five grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.
“While some might question a person in their 90′s still serving as a firefighter, the truth is that George was in great shape, he knew the area around the McGraw community like the back of his hand and was always willing to help his neighbors,” said Hirsch, who also serves as Training Officer for the department. “Everyone in the area knew George Lanchbaugh and were privileged to call him a friend.” Services for Mr. Lanchbaugh are Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. at the Methodist Church in McGraw.
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