Former Kansas City Councilman and parks commissioner Bob Lewellen died Saturday at age 73.
The Star reported that Lewellen had been battling a number of health issues. To say Lewellen was active in city politics would be an understatement. He ran for mayor against Emanuel Cleaver in 1991. Lewellen lost by more than 6,000 votes. A "Lewellen for mayor" banner still hangs in Lew's Grill & Bar in Waldo (saw the sign Saturday night).
Lewellen was the 6th District at-large councilman until 1991. He served eight years on the city's parks board after being appointed by then-Mayor Kay Barnes in 1999. In 2007, Mayor Mark Funkhouser removed Lewellen from the board. His civic service didn't end there; he was a member of the board of the Friends of the Zoo.
Lewellen's wife, Ruth Ann, died in April 2007 after fighting pancreatic cancer.
The Star says Lewellen's family is asking that rather than sending flowers, donations be made to the Kansas City Zoo.
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