Ira A. Stein

Ira Stein of Leawood, Kansas, died November 29, 2012, at his residence. He was born Sept. 20, 1921, and was a lifelong resident of the Kansas City area, as were his parents, William B. and Mary (Snitz) Stein.

Ira is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Patricia Gardner Stein, sons, John H. Stein (Elizabeth Warner) of Jamaica Plain, MA, Richard M. Stein (Mary Howe) of Lawrence, KS, brother Larry Stein (Floralou) of Scottsdale, AZ, grandchildren William H. Stein of Lawrence, KS, Sarenna and Hannah Stein of Jamaica Plain, MA, great-grandchildren, Kai and Elyas Rosario, also of Jamaica Plain, and brother-in-law, Larry Hardy, Overland Park, KS, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Ira served overseas as a radio operator in the U.S. Air Corps from 1942 until the end of World War II. Late in life he reacquainted himself with radio and established his own amateur radio station with the call letters K0IRA, making contacts with more than 100 countries, using International Morse Code. He enjoyed participating in sports and played a quite decent game of tennis, table tennis, and 4-wall handball.

Pat and Ira enjoyed trips to Europe and the Greek Islands, the Caribbean Islands, Brazil and Mexico - and brief stops in Israel, Egypt and Turkey.

A reception in Ira’s memory will be held Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 8:00 to 10:00pm at the Gaslight Grill. Refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to patstein@kc.rr.com. Kindly omit flowers. The family suggests that contributions be sent to Temple Israel, 5311 W. 75th Street, Prairie Village, KS 66208, the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education (MCHE), 5801 W. 115th Street, Overland Park, KS 66211 or Harvesters, The Community Food Network, 3801 Topping Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64129.