Richard Bruce Aitken

Richard Bruce Aitken, age 58 of Olathe, Kansas passed away on September 6, 2009 at the Kansas City Hospice House, Kansas City, Missouri. He was born February 22, 1951 at Darby, Pennsylvania, the son of Richard Aitken Jr. and Margaret Jane Fritz. His early years were spent with his family in Pine Bluff, Arkansas; Wildwood New Jersey; and Fallston, Maryland. Rick graduated from Thomas Johnson High School in Frederick, Maryland in 1969. He later attended Frederick County Community College for two years and then graduated in 1973 from the Ray Vogue Technical School of Photography in Chicago. He lived in Gaithersburg, Maryland before moving to Olathe, Kansas in 1999. Rick was a professional portrait photographer and trainer for twenty-five years, and was recognized by his peers as one of the most skilled high-volume photographers in the Washington, D. C. area at the time. He serviced over 150,000 sittings as a church directory photographer up and down the East Coast. For the last ten years he was in car sales, and continued his photography work as time allowed. He loved to take photos of pets and nature and cherished going bass fishing at Shawnee Mission Lake and Anglers Paradise near Fort Scott, always hoping to catch a "ten pounder". He was an avid sports fan and always cheered for the underdog. He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Margaret Aitken; his beloved Yorkies, C.G. and Powder; and his best friends Richard Smith of Poughkeepsie, New York and Brett Moberly of Frederick, Maryland. Rick is survived by his life partner of eighteen years, Marilyn Lankard, Olathe, Kansas; sister, Elizabeth Margaret (Midge) Bell and husband James C. Bell Jr. of Woodsboro, Maryland; niece, Jennifer Elaine Bell of York, Pennsylvania; and Marilyn's family, her mother, Gladys Young and Bob of Garnett, Kansas; and her three sisters, Sandra Kueser and husband Dale of Richmond, Kansas; Katherine Austin and husband Tim of Waverly, Kansas; Connie Martin and husband Terry of Shawnee, Kansas and their families; many friends, neighbors and colleagues; and Pixie, the new Yorkie "baby". Memorial services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at the Unity Church of Overland Park, 10300 Antioch Road at the I-435 and Antioch exit. The family will be present to greet friends an hour prior to the service at 10:00 A.M. at the church. Inurnment will be in the Garnett Cemetery, Garnett, Kansas at 2:30 P.M., Wednesday. Memorials to Kansas City Hospice House in Rick's honor may be left in the care of the funeral home.