R. Carl Shankland

R. Carl Shankland, 92, of Topeka, Kansas, passed away September 16, 2008. Services will be 1:00 p.m., Friday September 19, 2008 at the Mt. Hope Cemetery Chapel. Inurnment will follow in the Mt. Hope Cemetery.
Carl was born February 22,1916, in Las Animas, Colorado. He graduated from Las Animas High School and attended Simpson College, in Indianola, Iowa, where he met his wife of 66 years, Mary Jane Steves. They married on her birthday, January 29, 1939. He went to work on the construction of the Parsons Army Ammunition Plant. Shortly after war broke out, he joined the Army and the 2nd Engineering Special Brigade. He left for the South Pacific, again on his wife's birthday, January 29, 1943. Carl took part in seven combat landings at New Guinea, Biak, and the Philippines as a member of the Shore Battalion, 542nd Boat and Shore Regiment, 2nd Engineering Special Brigade, eventually becoming Echo Company Commander. Carl was in an LST in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese surrender and was one of the first Americans ashore, where he spent several weeks traveling up and down the Japanese coast spiking coastal defense gu'ns. Carl made it home for Christmas, 1945.
After World War II, Carl and Mary Jane settled in the Topeka area. He passed his love of the outdoors on to his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Carl was an avid outdoorsman all his life. He learned to hunt and fish with his father as a child where he grew up around Las Animas, Colorado in the 1920s.
Carl loved to fish for trout at Lake Shawnee, as well as crappy, bass, white bass, and catfish in area lakes and streams. One of his favorite fishing trips was to go to Alaska. Carl made numerous fishing trips to Alaska with his sons and grandsons. There they caught red, silver, and king salmon, as well as halibut. He made his last trip to Alaska in 2006 at the age of 90. It was a successful trip, and he caught numerous silver salmon and halibut.
Carl's second love was hunting. He hunted quail, pheasant, and ducks with his sons and grandchildren every season. His favorite was goose hunting. He shot many limits of geese through the years. His last goose hunting trip was at age 80 when Carl and his two sons each got their limit of snow geese. His last hunting trip was at the age of 85 when he bagged his first and only wild turkey on his son's ranch.
When he wasn't hunting or fishing Carl loved to tend to his yard and garden, and especially his roses. He was also a sought after mechanic, able to fix any small engine long after all others had given up on it.
Carl retired from the Kansas Army National Guard in 1976. He also retired from the University of Kansas printing service in 1981. Carl kept very active after retirement. He was a President, Board Member, and newsletter editor of the Active Primetimers. He was long-time member of the Military Officers Association of America, and was active in a local chapter of the AARP.
Carl was preceded in death by his loving wife of 66 years, Mimi, and a grandson. He is survived by his three children and their spouses, Michaele and Jay Willis, Baldwin City, Kevin and Carol Shankland, Valley Falls, and Don and JoAnn Shankland, Holton. Carl was a devoted and doting grandfather to 13 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel is assisting with services.