John Byers O'Loughlin

John Byers O'Loughlin, 88, passed away Tuesday, September 8, 2020 in Wichita, KS. He was born June 9, 1932 in Hays, Ellis County, KS, the only son of Joseph James and Myra (Byers) O'Loughlin. John graduated from Cascia Hall Preparatory, Tulsa, OK, and earned a Bachelors and Masters degree in Electrical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1956, when he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force Reserve. He married Edna Frances Miera on September 5, 1957, at the Church of the Nativity, Alameda (Albuquerque), NM. John was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Hays, KS, St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Wichita, KS, Knights of Columbus (Third Degree), Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Association of Computing Machinery, and Sigma Nu fraternity. He was preceded in death by his father, Joseph; mother, Myra; sister, Mary Kathryn Swinson Hyatt. Survivors include: spouse, Karen Herrman of Wichita; first wife and mother of his children, Edna Miera O’Loughlin of Wichita; three sons, Joseph Miera (Kimberly) O'Loughlin of San Diego, CA, James Michael (Demetria) O'Loughlin of St. Peters, MO, John Patrick O'Loughlin of Phoenix, AZ; three daughters, Kathryn Ann Wilhelm (Michael) Hubbert of Covington, LA, Ellen Marie Swann O’Loughlin of Phoenix, AZ, Megan Elizabeth (Eric) Stidman of Houston, TX; two sisters, Nancy Elizabeth McCall of La Jolla, CA, Judith Margaret (Tom) Coffelt of Olive Branch, MS; twenty grandchildren, Nicholas Irwin, Amanda Keeting, John Thomas O'Loughlin, Joseph Edward O'Loughlin, Jaquelyn Ferreira, Thomas Xavier O'Loughlin, Layla Michelle O'Loughlin, and David Alexander O'Loughlin, all of San Diego, CA, Sean Patrick O'Loughlin of Aliso Viejo, CA, Nicole Vega O'Loughlin, Benjamin Vega O'Loughlin, and Brian Vega O'Loughlin, all of St. Peters, MO, Nicole Amber O'Loughlin and Hailey Marie O'Loughlin of Phoenix, AZ, Carolyn Marie Wilhelm of Cleveland, OH, Margaret Elizabeth Wilhelm (Tim) Hampton of Mobile, AL, Patrick Alexander Swann of San Diego, CA, Lauren Elizabeth Swann of Charleston, SC, William Bailey Stidman and Grant Edward Stidman of Houston, TX; three great-grandchildren, Avah Viola Adeline Hampton, Elah Lily Annabelle Hampton, Noah Oliver Aiden Hampton, all of Mobile, AL. When his father's family was involved in a fatal automobile accident in May 1957, John returned to Hays, KS, from extended active duty at the Nevada Test Site with the Air Force Special Weapons Center, Research Directorate, Biophysics Division, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM, to administer his father's estate, manage the family Chevrolet and Oldsmobile agencies, O'Loughlin Motor Sales, in Hays and Ellis, KS, and the O'Loughlin Ranch and Real Estate. He remained active with the U.S. Air Force Reserve until his retirement as a Captain in 1973. He did post graduate management studies at the General Motors Institute, Detroit, MI, and became a lecturer with the Physics Department at Fort Hays State University. He joined the Hays Toastmasters Club in 1958, later serving as club president and was a finalist in the Toastmasters national speech contest in 1964. John was a charter member of the Hays Elks Lodge and served as Exalted Ruler. While serving as president of the Hays Chamber of Commerce, he received a Kansas Young Man of the Year award. He served ten years with the Kansas Blue Cross - Blue Shield Board of Directors. In 1967 John joined the faculty of Wichita State University as a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He served as Director of the University Computing Center from 1967 until 1983, after which he spent six months abroad as a visiting professor in Russia, Germany, and Ireland, where he fell in love with his ancestral home land, returning there often and making many new friends. Returning to Wichita State from his sabbatical in Europe, John organized the Cad/Cam Laboratory in 1984 and served as its director for twenty-two years. During that period the laboratory gained national recognition for their CATIA education classes and textbooks. Beginning in 1999, John became an active lightning research investigator with the National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State, performing contract research for the Federal Aviation Administration and working on continued lightning protection of aircraft and systems. After 2003 his research moved to lightning protection for composite aircraft and the study of positive lightning discharges. John retired from full-time service at the University in August 2008, and continued his research working part-time as Director Emeritus and Professor Emeritus at the National Institute for Aviation Research until his death. He had many interests and avocations, including: short wave radio, family genealogy, mapping Kansas ghost towns, and mathematical puzzles. Rosary will be at 6:30 pm, Thursday, September 17, 2020; Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 am, Friday, September 18, 2020, both at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Both services can be viewed Live through St. Thomas Aquinas' YouTube page. Private Family Inurnment will be in the O’Loughlin family plot at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Hays, KS. Memorials have been established with: St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 1321 Stratford Ln., Wichita, KS 67206; or John O’Loughlin Memorial c/o Wichita State University Foundation, 1845 N. Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0002. Services in care of Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.