Richard B. Hanger has been a lifelong Topekan and Lake Shawnee supporter
Dick Hanger speaking at SCPR Foundation launch
He began his life work selling gasoline and fish bait on the family property
at 29th and California. Later, he was hired by Otto Schnellbacher to sell for
American United Life Insurance. He developed the corner property further
by adding a building and leasing to Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream and added
a sandwich shop and a self-service laundry. During that time, he expanded
his business to include casualty insurance working with Bob Gucker.
In 1959, he was asked by the local Democratic Party to run for County
Commissioner from the Third District. He took office in January, 1960, at
the time when a new courthouse was being planned. He oversaw the construction of the current Shawnee
County Courthouse during his two terms, voluntarily retiring from public office in 1968.
New Shawnee County Courthouse Ceremony
He, along with Harold and Alan Rolley, chartered Highland Park State
Bank, which opened in 1965 in a new building on the Hanger property. It
was the only bank east of Kansas Avenue, and catered to working people
by offering expanded hours. He served as Executive Vice-President of the
bank, retiring in the new building in 1982. He also was a charterer of North
Plaza State Bank serving as a director for several years before resigning.
He was appointed by Governor Robert Docking to the Kansas Public
Employees Retirement Board serving two terms from 1969 to 1977.
Later, he served one four-year term on the
Kansas Fish and Game Commission having
been appointed by Governor John Carlin.
Dick, Dotty, David and Melissa Hanger
Dick was married to Dorothy Hanger on
June 12, 1949. They had two children,
David and Melissa. When starting her senior
year at Macalester College in St. Paul, Melissa was diagnosed with multiple
sclerosis. Over the twenty-five years of her illness, the Hangers spent monthly
visits to her in the Twin Cities until her death in 2000. David, a graduate of
Kansas University, lives in Jacksonville, Oregon. Granddaughter, Laurel Reynolds, lives in Santa Fe.
Dick has had a life-long love of Lake Shawnee starting when he was a young boy watching its construction in
the 30’s and 40’s. He spent time as a kid in the residence of the superintendent, W.C. Tagmeier. Now, it is the
party house, and former home of then superintendent, Commissioner Ted Ensley. He also knew and visited
the house on 37th street of “Squire” Martin, the engineer who oversaw the construction of the Lake. That
house is now the residence of Frank and Judith Sabatini. There is a picture of Dick standing in the dry bed of
the lake before it was full of water, which naysayers said would
never happen.
Dick Hanger outside family baitshop
Dick sold fish bait to lake fishermen and came to know many of
them. He said he would sell them minnows and then the
fishermen would drop off the remaining live ones at the bait shop
tank, allowing Dick to sell those same minnows to them again
another day!
Dick Hanger and Ted
Ensley looking over one of many fish hatcheries to stock Lake Shawnee
with bass, trout, and other varieties of fish
Later the lake built their own hatcheries in order to raise fish to stock the
lake. Dick often went swimming in the hatchery ponds.
He courted his future wife Dotty on the lake in his canoe. Shortly after
they were married, they had a sail boat called “Dotty Anne”. Continuing
their use of the lake, they were among the early families to enjoy water
skiing when the north end opened for that use. They first used Dick’s
“swamp boat” with the big upright propeller for skiing, needing to get up
quickly and swing away to the side so as not to be blown away. There
were boat houses on the south side of the skiing cove and they had one
of those houses before they were done away with. They participated in
the first water ski shows and Dotty has a trophy for second place in the
women’s race.
Later, they had an open deck catamaran sailboat, which they enjoyed and also gave rides to underprivileged
girls from the YMCA. Then a second one, a Hobie Cat, they sailed recklessly across the favorable winds of
the lake.
Dick and Dotty sailing on their hobi-cat on a hot day at Lake
Shawnee
A deck boat named, “Playpen” was kept for many years and
used for water skiing, picnicking and watching fireworks on
the Fourth of July. Dotty’s bridge friends spent many summer
days playing bridge aboard.
The family also took up scuba diving, but the lake waters
were too dark and muddy to enjoy that sport. Son, David,
however, assisted Superintendent Ted Ensley on several
searches for missing equipment.
Lake Shawnee was served by the whole Hanger family. Dick’s father, Bert Hanger, ran the concession at the
lake for several years and Melissa helped him and handed out baskets to swimmers at the bath house. David
was a life guard as well as helping with other duties.
One of Dick’s proudest accomplishments in his connection with the lake was hiring a new young Lake
Superintendent right out of K-State with a degree in fish culture, Ted Ensley! Also, during Dick’s eight years
as County Commissioner, he was instrumental in building the children’s fishing pond, and also securing
federal funds to assist in the construction of the golf course. He and Ted became good friends working
together as Ted was tireless in his vision and work to improve the Lake.
When land was being developed north of 37th street on the west side of the lake, Dick and Dotty hurried to
buy up the best site overlooking the cove just north of the present Ted Ensley Gardens, which is now known
at least by them and their friends, as Hangers’ Cove.
- Written by Dotty Hanger