Roger Lee Brining, an air force veteran and seasoned pilot from Great Bend, Kansas died June 8, 2014. He was born November 21, 1964 to Richard C. and Clarice E. (Hammond) Brining. His siblings are Robert Brining of Aspen, CO and Linda (Brining) Keener of Las Cruces, NM. He married Erika Ullman December 22, 1986. Their three children are Rachel, Rebecca, and Robert.

Roger was a lifetime resident of Great Bend, having managed the family farming operation for many years. In addition to his busy professional career as a no-till farmer and conservationist, Roger was also very active as a volunteer for the agriculture and aviation communities.

As an advocate for no-till farming and soil conservation, Roger was a board member for the Kansas Ag Research and Technology Association, and a member of No-Till on the Plains. For his efforts, he was awarded several prestigious honors from the Kansas Bankers Association and other agriculture associations.

As a pilot, he was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association (E.A.A.), where he served terms as President and Treasurer and provided free flights through the Young Eagles Program. He was an active volunteer with Angel Flights Central, providing over 80 free flights to transport patients to medical appointments. Roger was a member of the Model Association of Central Kansas (M.A.C.K.), the City of Great Bend Airport Advisory Committee, and the Great Bend Air Fest Planning Committee. Roger’s love for flying resulted in over 1580 flight hours being logged, with most in the few years before his passing.

As a pillar of his community, Roger was a member of First Assembly of God, where he served as deacon for six years, participated in church dramas, volunteered in the sound booth, and hosted many church events at the farm. He also volunteered through the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development, donating his time and talents to support Kids Ag Day, Fall Fest, and the Great Bend Farm & Ranch Expo.

But perhaps his most notable mark on the world will be his role as a husband, father, and grandpa. Roger’s legacy in Central Kansas will never be forgotten, and his memory lives on in the hearts and minds of his family.