Originally published in the Kansas City Star
Edward R. Dissinger passed away on February 2, 2006 at the Kingswood Retirement facility in Kansas City, MO. He was born on July 22, 1911, in Eudora, KS. He had 94 great years. His legacy will be the many students and athletes he mentored during his career as a teacher and a coach.
Ed graduated from Baker University, Baldwin, KS, in the Spring of 1936. He also received a Master of Science degree from Kansas State University. In high school, Ed won the state title as a long-distance runner for the 880 relay and mile. At Baker, he held the two mile track record for nearly 60 years. He played football as a lineman at Baker for legendary Charlie Liston. Ed taught and coached for 40 years at the high school and college levels. In his first assignment at Buffalo, KS, he met and married Hazel Orr.
He spent 16 years at various high school programs in Kansas, including Lawrence, Atwood, Oberlin, Holton, and Manhattan. He coached the three major sports: football, basketball, and track. Ed’s teams at Holton won 7 league championships and his Manhattan teams won 6 league championships. In football at Holton, his team had a 20-game winning streak over two years. His teaching included algebra, geometry, general science, chemistry, biology, physics, and physical education.Watch movie online The Transporter Refueled (2015)
He volunteered in the US Army from 1943 to 1948, where he served in the European Theatre as Lieutenant Dissinger. In the Army Reserves, Ed served 20 years, for five of which he was the commanding officer of his unit. He retired as a Major.
In 1955 he joined the football staff at Kansas State University and coached with Bus Mertes and Doug Weaver. The University of Missouri hired Ed in 1967 where he coached with Dan Devine and Al Onofrio until retirement in 1976.
Ed was preceded in death by Hazel, his second wife Fay, brother Morris, and sister Katherine. Survivors include his son, Eddie, and his wife, Suzy, Leawood, KS; his daughter, Frankie, Kansas City, MO; stepdaughter, Glenda and her husband Don, Olathe, KS; twelve grandchildren; and ten great grandchildren.
Services will be held at the Parker Funeral Home, 10th & Walnut, Columbia, MO, on Tuesday, February 7, 2006, at 2 p.m. Visitation will be at Parker’s from 12-2 p.m., prior to the services. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery, 1219 Business Loop 70 West in Columbia. In lieu of flowers, make donations to the Baker University athletic department in Baldwin, KS.