David F. Hahlen

David F. Hahlen, age 93, passed away on November 10th, 2023. David was born March 2,1930 in Cleveland, Ohio to Fredrick Hahlen and Ruth Gouvy Hahlen.

His family moved to Perry, Ohio northeast of Cleveland to a home next door to his paternal grandparents. He grew up helping his grandparents with their fruit farm and when old enough helped his grandmother with selling the produce. He also had a younger brother he used to get in trouble but also helped to protect.
Dave graduated from Perry High school in 1947. He attended Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi and served as their chapter President and earned a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering. He started his career with Kopper Company and worked in Pittsburg, Follansbee, West Virginia, Chicago, Minneapolis, and San Bernardino, California before he was drafted into the Army.

Dave served from 1954-1956. He was stationed at the Army Chemical Center in Edgewood, Maryland. This is where he met the love of his life, Theresa, as he said “in the chow line.”  Dave married Terry in Kingsville, Maryland. After he was discharged from the Army they settled in Perry, Ohio. He worked for Diamond Alkali, first in Cleveland and then in Painesville, Ohio.

They have three daughters; Beth, Karen and Kim. After moving a few times and receiving his Masters in Engineering Administration from Case Institute, they settled in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. There they met and developed lifelong friends and had great times while raising their girls.

In 1972 as his company was making changes he decided to look for another job, which brought them to Merriam, Kansas. The spring of 1973 he moved his family here and worked for Midwest Research Institute on the Plaza. Here they helped start Good Shepherd Parish as founding members and again developed lifelong friends in mini parish 1.

In 1977, Dave and Terry decided to buy a flower shop, in which Terry began the business. Their daughter Beth joined her and as they grew Dave joined them. Later Beth’s husband Dave also joined the business. They moved to 3 different locations growing each time in the 40 years of their ownership of Tanan Floral in North Kansas City, Missouri.

As a business owner in NKC, Dave became eligible to belong to the NKC Breakfast Club, a business association. Not long after joining in 1977, he became the executive secretary. He will be remembered for his dry sense of humor which he regularly displayed in the weekly newsletters he composed during his time as secretary. He always had a weekly joke.

In the 1990’s he was also a regional director for FTD with the western 1/3 of Missouri and part of KCK. He would evaluate new florist to make sure that they met the standards FTD valued.

David loved to travel, he and Terry spent the early years of their marriage traveling the eastern US and later, more in the western part of the country. He enjoyed being outdoors, picnics and the beach, lake, or ocean. He loved taking photos of his girls, flowers and scenery. He loved his wife, daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren and pets. Dave liked to walk, about 1-2 miles a day, which he did up until the day before he passed. He enjoyed visiting with neighbors, talking to friends, kids and meeting all the dogs. He had a special friendship with Sophie and her family and we are grateful for all of his friends through the years.

We would like to thank the Merriam Police Department and first responders for all of their help and support.

He was predeceased by his parents and granddaughter Julie Ptacek.

He leaves behind his wife Theresa; daughters Beth Shell (David), Karen Ptacek (Philip), Kim Peak (Stephen); grandchildren Jason Ptacek (Jennifer), Bryan Ptacek, Tara Park (Travis), Kyle Ptacek, KateLynn Farrington (Kevin), Kaitlin Peak, Christian Peak; great grandchildren Eric and Ethan Ptacek, and a brother Scott Hahlen. 

A visitation will be held on Thursday, November 16th, 2023 from 6-8 pm at the Amos Family Funeral Home, with a rosary being prayed at 5:45pm. Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Friday, November 17th at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Shawnee, Kansas. He will be laid to rest at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery in Lenexa following mass. 

The family requests memorial contributions be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Achievement Center through the University of Kansas, in support of his loving daughter, Beth.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of David F. Hahlen, please visit our floral store.