JUNCTION CITY, Kan. — Friends and family gathered on Monday morning to say goodbye to a prominent Kansas family killed in a central Florida plane crash.
Ron and Becky Bramlage and their four children were killed on June 7 when their small aircraft broke apart not long after takeoff near the central Florida town of Lake Wales. The family was returning to Kansas from a family vacation to the Bahamas.
The memorial service for the Bramlages was held at the Junction City Middle School auditorium. Junction City Superintendent Ron Walker spoke at the service and said losing the Bramlages has left a large void in the community.
“They had a huge impact on daily life in Junction City and Geary County,” he said. “They touched the adults in the community but they also touched kids, and that’s what I appreciated. … You can’t help but be sad, and you can’t help but feel the void that we all feel.”
It’s estimated at least 2,000 people attended the service — a testament to the impact the family had.
“It tells me they touched a lot of people’s lives, and they will really be missed,” said Tom Brungardt.
The Bramlage family owned an investment company in Junction City, and Becky Bramlage was the president of the local school board.
The Bramlage family is known in Kansas known for giving scholarships and other large charitable donations, including funds for the Kansas State University basketball arena — Bramlage Coliseum.
According to investigators at the scene, the aircraft was at nearly 26,000 feet when it first began experiencing trouble, and it appears that the plane fell apart in the air. Pieces of the aircraft were found as far as two miles away from the crash site.
A final report on the crash isn’t expected for several more months.
Bramlage memorial contributions may be sent to:
St. Xavier Catholic Church
P.O. Box 399
Junction City, Kan. 66441
Geary Community Schools Foundation
123 N. Eisenhower
Junction City, Kan. 66441
Opera House Foundation
135 W. 7th Street
Junction City, Kan. 66441
