Mary Ann Flunder Lodge by the Lake

This small lodge on the Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC) campus was dedicated in honor of long-time board of trustee and activist Mary Ann Flunder on October 22, 2016. Mrs. Flunder spent 20 years as a board of trustee for the community college advocating for educational opportunities for community members, and students of color. She also served on over 50 boards locally, statewide, and nationally.  

The KCKCC lodge by the lake was dedicated to Mary Ann Flunder for her commitment to educational opportunities for her fellow community members and students of color. She served over 20 years as a KCKCC board of trustees and in 50 years served on over 50 boards.  

Mary Ann Flunder was born March 8, 1934, in Omaha, Nebraska but was raised in Kansas City, Kansas. Mrs. Flunder attended Sumner High School, KCKCC, Donnelly College, and the University of Kansas. 

A community servant, she was Executive Director of Turner house, a Housing System Director of the Economic Opportunity Foundation, a business owner of “Flunder’s.” Director of the Office of Minority Affairs for the University of Kansas from 1985 through 1992 where she was instrumental in challenging recruiters to bring in more minority students in engineering and health programs from across the country. Flunder was also instrumental with the initiation of the Upward Bound program, a program that is still in existence and supports college-bound high school youth from lower socio-economic households.    

Mrs. Flunder was known for her advocacy for young people of color garnering a degree in higher- education, consistently lobbying for policy in Topeka, KS, and Washington DC. Her life-long commitment to education garnered her an invitation to attend the 2015 State of the Union Address in Washington, DC of President Barack Obama. 

Rupert, Mary. "Mary Ann Flunder, long-time KCKCC Board of Trustees member and mentor to many, dies." Wyandotte Daily (Kansas City) May 26th, 2016. .

Mary Ann (Davis) Flunder Obituary , thatcherfuneralhome. Accessed December 7th, 2022. https://www.thatcherfuneralhome.com/obituary/Mary-Flunder.

2020-21 Inductees, KCKCC. Accessed December 7th, 2022. https://www.kckcc.edu/foundation/events/hall-of-fame/2020-21-inductees.html.