Dwight W. Carnahan

Dwight W. Carnahan, 92 of Independence, MO passed away Monday, December 21, 2015 at Centerpoint Medical Center. Services will be 11:00 a.m., Monday, December 28, 2015 at the Speaks Suburban Chapel, 18020 E. 39th St., Independence, MO 64055. Burial with full military honors will follow at Six Mile Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 10:00 a.m., until service time Monday at the chapel. Donations may be made in his name to the Dr. U. R. Pugh Scholarship Fund at William Jewell College. Dr. Pugh was Dwight’s father-in-law. Dwight was born October 9, 1923 in Zebra, MO to Raymond and Anna (Foster) Carnahan and graduated from Macks Creek High School in 1941. Although he spent his adult life in Independence, Missouri his love of the Ozarks remained strong and was always home to Dwight. When WWII began he enlisted in the US Air Force and proudly served during WWII, the Korean Conflict and the Berlin Crisis. His service continued until his retirement from the reserves in 1966. During his time in the Air Force he graduated from William Jewell College with a bachelor’s in education and later received his masters in special education from the University of Kansas. Dwight was truly a life-long learner and his hobby was to study. He loved to study military aviation and was well versed in the latest fighter planes and bombers, always knowing their capabilities. In addition, he studied astronomy and loved to collect fossils and other unique rock formations. The knowledge he learned and retained was incredible and he enjoyed greatly the opportunity to share with others information about his studies. His greatest love, outside of his family, was teaching. He especially enjoyed working with special needs students and the youngest of learners. He worked from 1960-90 as a teacher, school administrator and special education director in the Independence School District. When he retired from public schools he began serving others as a speech pathologist. He was a member of Maywood Baptist Church where he taught Sunday school for over 20 years. He served as president of the Independence Kiwanis Club, past president of the Neighborhood Council and served on multiple Board of Directors. He is survived by; his loving wife of nearly 58 years, Margaret of the home; a daughter, Dr. Renee C. Freers and her husband Jerome of Independence, MO and 3 grandsons, Damon, Logan and Jacob Freers. He was preceded in death by his loving daughter, Annette Carnahan in 1990, his parents and a sister Reva VanCleave. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.speakschapel.com (Arrangements: Speaks Suburban Chapel (816) 373-3600)