Russell Mosser

Memorial Services for Russell A. Mosser, 93, of Lawrence, Kansas, will be at 11:00 am Saturday June 18, 2011, at the First United Methodist Church in Lawrence.  A celebration of his life will follow with a light  lunch and sharing of memories at a reception in Fellowship Hall.
Mr. Mosser died Friday April 29, 2011, at the Presbyterian Manor.
He was born in Horton, Kansas on November  9, 1917, the son of Lloyd Mosser and Emma Pyle Mosser.  He attended Lowman Hill and Highland Park Grade Schools and Boswell Junior High in Topeka, Kansas.  He graduated from Blue Rapids High School in 1935 as Valedictorian.
He graduated from the University of Kansas with an AB in Economics in 1940 and an MA in 1944 with his Thesis on Visual Training in Industry.  He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa at KU in 1940.
During World War II, he worked in Wichita with Boeing Airplane Co. as Director of Education and Training.  During those years, he met Lorene Nightengale through the activities of a young peoples’ group at the Methodist Church.  They married in Wichita on April 8, 1945. 
After working for KU in several positions in Education and training, Art Wolf, his long time friend, and he incorporated Centron Corporation, Inc.  in 1947.  From 1947 to 1981 Centron Corporation produced motion pictures and multi-media presentations for industry, education and government.  Over 400 national and international film festival awards were received, including a nomination for the 1970 Academy Award for the film, LEO BEUERMAN, which has gained status as a film classic.
Russell participated in and led many church, community, and educational activities.  These included :
Chair of Administrative Board, Long Range Planning and Finance for the First United Methodist Church and later in life, on the Leadership Team which initiated the west campus facility;
Lawrence City Commissioner from 1957-1961;
Lawrence Presbyteran Manor Advisory Committee 1976-1990 including president in 2003.
He was recognized as Substantial Citizen of the Year in 1976 by Lawrence Kiwanis Club and given Citizen of the Years Award in 1991 by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce.
After retiring, Russell raised, bred and showed Arabian horses.  He was an avid golfer and bridge player.  Russell enjoyed traveling, reading, gardening, and loved, loved, loved sports-especially KU basketball.  Russell was preceded in death by his parents, but is survived by his wife, Lorene, his brothers Drs.  Robert  and Donn Mosser and sister, Mildred Neff.  Also surving are his daughters Patricia Wolf of Roswell, GA, Janet Mosser Paden, of Lawrence, and Kathryn Mosser of Long Beach, CA.  He dearly loved and enjoyed his grandchildren who visited every summer and always spent Christmas with him:  Rachel Wolf and Isaac Wolf of Roswell, GA, and Rebecca Wolf of Gambier, OH.
The family suggests memorials in lieu of flowers to United Methodist Committee on Relief (disaster response)  sent  in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th St, Lawrence, KS  66044.