Ken was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on March 10, 1937. Janice was born in Blue Springs, Missouri, on February 23, 1940.

Janice was secretary of her high school class and a straight-A student. She and Ken married after her graduation. Her school counselor was very disappointed she did not go to college.

Kenneth served the City of Lee’s Summit Fire Department from 1961 to 1965, rising to key leadership positions including Deputy Fire Chief, Fire Chief, and Director of Public Safety. Under his leadership, the department experienced transformative growth and modernization. He led the expansion from three to five fire stations, including the development of Stations 4 and 5, which significantly improved response times and coverage for the city.

Kenneth also oversaw the relocation of Fire Headquarters, optimizing the department’s operational effectiveness. He played a pivotal role in transitioning the department from a combination of volunteer and paid staff to a fully career department, professionalizing the service and ensuring full-time readiness.

A major part of his legacy was the integration of cutting-edge technology for the time, including the implementation of Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) and state-of-the-art communication systems, which enhanced the coordination and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) with Advanced Life Support (ALS) ground transport, significantly improving the city’s ability to provide pre-hospital care.

Janice was instrumental in Ken’s success and contributed greatly to the family atmosphere of the fire department. She helped plan the annual Christmas potluck dinner at the Market Street station and made sure she knew all of the firefighters and their spouses. She helped make it a very tight-knit environment and a supportive place to work.

In addition to his fire service accomplishments, Wright served on the LS R-7 School District Board, reflecting his deep commitment to the community, both in public safety and education. His contributions left a lasting impact on the city’s infrastructure and emergency response capabilities.

Even with 6 children, Janice also worked full time at the Lee’s Summit Journal from 1967 to 1987 and then at the American Academy of Family Physicians from 1987 to 1990. She not only worked to help support the family, but she spent many hours before and after work managing the lively household. This allowed Ken to spend the time necessary to lead the fire department and ultimately serve as Public Safety Director in charge of both the fire and police departments.

Even working full time, Janice’s responsibilities on the family farm were many. When not preparing daily meals, she spent an abundant amount of time tending the one-acre garden. Spring, summer and fall meant soil prep, planting, weeding, harvesting, canning, pickling, and freezing produce for meals during the year. She loved all of the animals especially her goats, and she really enjoyed riding her Arabian horses.

Janice was also an active member of the Our Lady of Presentation Church for many years where 4 of their children attended elementary school.

Sadly, Ken passed away from a long illness on August 10, 1989. Janice remained in their home on the family farm in Lee’s Summit until 2023 when, after living there for 50 years, she decided to sell it to move back to Blue Springs. There she lives only a few blocks from the home she grew up in and spends time with her friends and many of her former classmates from High School. She also sees her children, 11 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren quite often.