Sterling Varner

Varner, Sterling, former president of Koch Industries, died Tuesday, Sept. 30, at a local hospital. He was 89. Visitation will be 4-6:30 pm. Saturday, Oct. 3, at Downing Lahey Mortuary, 6555 E. Central, Wichita. A memorial service is planned for 10:00 am, Monday at RiverWalk (formerly Central) Church of Christ, 225 N. Waco St. Ashes will be interred in a private service at the family ranch near Cassoday. Varner was born in a tent in Ranger, Texas, on Dec. 20, 1919, to George Virgile Varner and Christina Shafer Varner. His father and grandfather were contractors providing mules to haul oil field equipment during the Ranger oil boom. He grew up in Oklahoma where he graduated from high school in Fox, Oklahoma. He attended Murray State School of Agriculture in Tishomingo, Okla., and passed the entrance exam to join the Army Air Corp, but complications following appendicitis left him ineligible for service during World War II. He married Paula Jean Kennedy on Nov. 17, 1945 in Elmore City, Okla., and soon thereafter began working for Rock Island Refining in Duncan, Okla.. The refinery was purchased a year later by Fred Koch of Wichita commencing a career spanning more than six decades with the company that was to become Koch Industries. During his tenure with Koch, Varner held a variety of positions including purchasing agent, crude oil trader and ranch manager. He was elected to the board of directors of Koch Industries in 1967 and was named president in 1974, serving in that role for 13 years. After retiring as vice chairman of the Koch board in 1989, he remained active on the companys board and was engaged in the operation of his beloved Shadow Valley Ranch. He was a member of RiverWalk Church of Christ and active locally with the Youth Entrepreneurs of Kansas and Goodwill Industries. Varner was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, by a daughter, Jane Varner Beard, and her husband Rusty of Abilene, Texas; a son, Richard, and his wife Linda of Corona del Mar, Calif., and by five grandchildren; Sterling and Hudson Beard of Abilene, Ryan Marie Brooks of Santa Monica, Calif., Richard Reid Varner of Dallas, and Emily Varner of Corona del Mar. He is also survived by his brother, Roy Varner and his wife, Wanda of Shawnee, Okla., and many nieces and nephews. Memorial gifts may be made to Goodwill Industries of Wichita, 3636 N. Oliver, Wichita, 67220 or Carpenter Place (formerly Maude Carpenters Childrens Home), 1501 N. Meridian, Wichita, 67203 or to a charity of the donors choice. Visitation will be 4-6:30 pm. Saturday, Oct. 3, at Downing Lahey Mortuary, 6555 E. Central, Wichita.