David Wolfe

David was a remarkable teacher and "bridge builder". He was the son of John Kohler Wolfe and Velma Lucille Gay. David William Wolfe, of Leawood, Kansas passed away November 3, 2025. A local Kansas City, Missouri product, romance began when in 5th grade he dipped the tips of long blonde sausage curls of the girl in front of him into his desk's ink well. Events transpired and David married this grade school sweetheart Caroline (Kay) Moreland at Linwood Presbyterian church in 1960. Each pursued their education and became teachers. David and Kay joined Colonial Presbyterian church; taught Sunday school, Kay sang in the choir, and David was elected a deacon. Through the 1960's and 70's they had three beloved sons, Evan, Christopher and Adam. David's wife and sons are now all in heaven. David retired and was a member of the Village Presbyterian Church.

David was an Eagle Scout in Troop 137, a member of the Tribe of Mic-o-say, named Little Silver Crest; a graduate of Frances Willard grade school and Paseo High School, where he achieved the rank of Major in JROTC. He attended the Kansas City Junior College (AA); the University of Missouri, Columbia, (BS in Ed.) where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha, a social fraternity; the University of Kansas, (MA in History), where he graduated with honors in history, a member of Phi Alpha Theta. From 1959 through 1998 he was a class-room teacher, administrator and principal in the Shawnee Mission School District. He served as a high school teacher of ninth grade World Geography and English at Meadowbrook Junior High and World History at S. M. North, West and East; he also served as a district-wide consulting teacher, director of social studies curriculum and instruction and sponsored the metro-wide Issues programs which included multi MO/KS school districts with over 2000 students, annually from 1977 thru 1992. These students participated in semester-long mock political conventions, model United Nation sessions and model cities programs. He worked closely with the International Relations Council of Kansas City, the United Nations Association and local governments. In 1974, in cooperation with NAACP, the National Congress of Christians and Jews, a holocaust program was annually presented to every seventh grade student as part of their social-studies curriculum.

In 1983, David in partnership with RSVP, the Retired Senior Volunteer Programs, began a "Living History" project for elementary students on world events. Volunteers gave presentations: topics ranged from dust storms in the 30's through the Depression, to wars in Korea, Vietnam, and the Middle East. In 1985, David worked with elementary principals to provide child care using Girl Scout troops, local YMCAs, and area parks and recreation departments. "Project Care" would provide supervised settings in community schools as early as 7am and as late as 6pm for elementary youth. "Celebrate American Heroes" began district-wide in 1988 with each school selecting their annual "American Hero” alive or dead as part of the 5th grade social studies curriculum. "Celebrate American HEROES" was initiated the same year his son Adam was in 5th grade. Many schools partnered with local American Legion posts or Daughters or Sons of the American Revolution organizations for candidate suggestions, American Flags, materials or donations. The first program was at Hickory Grove Elementary school.

In 1990, David founded and became principal of the Shawnee Mission Center for International Studies until his retirement in 1998. Here high school students could study the language and culture for two hours daily achieving up to level 7 of Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Russian. In addition to the language, they would take their appropriate social studies requirement. Ethnic festivals, town meetings, and cultural programs would occur. Beginning in 1993 from the television studio at CIS, live distant learning, inter-active instruction in Japanese and Russian was taught to client high school students in southeast Kansas. On site visits by the instructors enhanced the learning. David was responsible for district sponsorship of international organizations with up to 50 international students annually in the five USD 512 high schools. David established international partnerships and exchanges, beginning in 1979 between Shawnee Mission South and Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany, which continues today as the only sister-city for Overland Park, Kansas. Student and teacher exchanges -"Bridges"-were developed between the school district and Iwate Prefecture (state), Japan; School 56, Moscow, Russia; Xi'an, China; the American School, Jedah, Saudi Arabia; and Ecole Toulouse Lautrec, Severs, France through the Center for International Studies.

In 1990, David was recognized by Mayor Richard Berkley as Kansas City World Citizen of the year. David received numerous awards and recognitions, he was cited in USA & World Report for preparing students for the 21st century in 1990 and by the National Council for the Social Studies for the school district's outstanding k-12 social studies curriculum in 1986. David was responsible for establishing the first Arabic language program for secondary public school students in the United States at the Center for International Studies. The program continues at Shawnee Mission South high school. In partnership with the Chinese community, he helped in establishing the Chinese School of Kansas City in 1998. Building Bridges requires partnerships and that was the theme of David's first international conference in 1976 in Shawnee Mission with school districts which taught Unified Studies - Common Learnings (English and Social Studies) in the United States and in Canada. David was president of the Kansas Council for the Social Studies which hosted the conference at Shawnee Mission. The National Council of Christians and Jews, Rotary clubs, civil and social organizations were important partnerships. From 1998 to 2019, David served as secretary for the Shawnee Mission Rotary, Club. David's programs were recognized internationally: in 2019 Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany awarded him the "EHRENURKUNDE"- certificate of honor. Mayor Carl Gerloch of Overland Park designated April 27, 2019, DAVID WOLFE DAY.

In his retirement, David became concerned about the little knowledge youth seemed to have of the American Revolution; he put together five member teams to visit elementary schools; each member would speak to the subject in costume from a living history perspective: The Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, Heroes, The Family, Yorktown. Founding of Freedom, which functioned from 2004-2008 impacted over 2000 elementary students in their individual classrooms.

Named for his grandfathers, David Dewitt Gay of Gardner, KS and William Francis Wolfe of Harrisonville, MO. it is of little wonder that he became interested in history and 'family' history as a hobby. His grandmother Kohler's family has organized annual reunions, begun in 1934. KOHLER FAMILY REUNIONS helped shape his life. With officers and events, they became his extended family. David served as President in 1971 and 1972 and as Historian from 1973 to 2019. The event which shaped his life was a summer trip to Europe with his Kohler aunt, Lucile Twitchell. David became committed to study history and people of different cultures and experiences. He will be missed.

David is survived by his loving household cat - "Boots"; his dear friends Russell White and Tim Anderson with their many Sunday dinners, Friday suppers and genuine Happy Hours; his Springfield, Missouri family, Andrea and Tom Croley and Trevor Croley, godson with their care and compassion and communication; his Harrisonville, Missouri, Kohler cousins for the lively and dependable reunions; his Omaha, Nebraska, Gay family cousins and his dear friend and cousin Karen Kohler Clegg for care, counsel and understanding.

David is fortunate as well to be survived by his German partner Heinz Steidle, without whose help the Bietigheim-Bissingen partnership would have never come to pass and who with him will always love Sardinia and dry red wine.

David is also fortunate to be survived by his French partner Jacqueline Queniart, who provided an understanding of life, history, language and culture by living it and sharing it. Like her student book, it will always be "Good News".

David is also survived... as is any teacher - who taught thousands of social studies students and hundreds of students learning a different language, to love America and be proud to be an American Citizen.