Frank Edward Vopat

Frank Edward Vopat was born in Noble Township just outside of Wilson, Kansas on May 10, 1942 – the first Mother’s Day gift to Marie J. Vopat and son to Frank G. Vopat. “Eddie” as he was known at the time, spent his childhood learning the merits of hard work and raising prize winning pigs. He graduated from Wilson High School in 1960 where he excelled in the study of music. A talented saxophonist, he traveled across the country by train to play in the Future Farmers of America band and earned a scholarship to Wichita State University. His music career was short-lived, however, when a course in music theory turned his attention to scientific pursuit. He quickly switched gears to the study of physics, earning his undergraduate and Master of Science degrees. Many years later, his students still recalled infamous test questions calculating the mass of Playboy Bunnies on sinking icebergs.

1968 was a pivotal year in his life – he began the two biggest love stories of his life, marrying Barbara Stein and embarking to The University of Notre Dame to pursue his doctorate in Physics. While conducting his research on Quasiparticle Interference Phenomena and Phonon Damping In Thick Superconducting Indium Films, he found time to form VOELCO Laboratories with his colleagues and was granted multiple patents.

At the conclusion of his studies, Frank elected to return to Wichita to be near his farm and family and began a career in engineering, eventually making his way to Boeing. He rose to leadership positions in CESO, WEA and SPEEA, the unions representing thousands of aerospace engineers, and traveled often to D.C. to lobby on their behalf. He also worked on contracts for the Department of Defense and concluded his 26 years with the company in Labor Relations.

A Renaissance Man in the truest sense, Frank was a man of many talents and deep intellect.  There wasn’t much he couldn’t do and nothing he couldn’t fix, but perhaps he could best be described as a gatherer. He was a gatherer of things – he squirreled away items to repurpose or fix or for some project he had planned. He was a gatherer of people and nurtured lifelong friendships throughout his life, keeping up with his friends from high school, his graduate studies, and work colleagues until the end. He gathered his wheat – having never truly left the farm, no time of year was more sacred than the wheat harvest (even football season), and he never missed one until this year.

A loving and gentle father and grandfather, Frank had an easy and natural way of connecting with young children, becoming a favorite among each of his grandchildren.  Generosity flowed from Frank; he was quick to pick up the bill, lend a hand and pass out ‘beer money’.

He passed away at home June 23^rd following a cancer diagnosis. He will be sorely missed by his family and friends, though perhaps they’ll be relieved to leave the dinner table earlier now that they don’t have to wait for him to finish his meals. He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Linda Weber, his brother Jerry and his son Ted. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, son Vince (Misty), daughter Maria (Matt), grandchildren Amelia, Jack, Bella, Kyler, Josephine and Lulu, and one sister Jody (Martin).

In a final tribute to Frank, raise a glass of wine, cheer on the Irish this fall and pass your thanks to a farmer. Memorials may be made to St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, P. O. Box 528, 2811 Avenue D., Wilson, KS 67490 and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 861 N. Socora Street, Wichita, KS 67212.

Rosary will be 7:00 pm, Friday, June 26, 2026, Funeral Mass will be 9:30 am, Saturday, June 27, 2026, both at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, with Graveside services will be 3:00 pm at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Cemetery, Wilson, Kansas.

Services in care of Downing & Lahey West Mortuary.