Donald Dean (“Whip”) Willis, 89, of Lawrence, Kansas, passed away peacefully on April 2, 2025 at Stratford Commons Rehabilitation facility in Overland Park, Kansas where he was convalescing after an illness.  

Donald was born on September 21, 1935, to Weston and Marie Willis in Kansas City, Kansas. He attended Washington High School. After high school, Donald completed his studies at the Central Technical Institute in Kansas City, MO. Early in his radio career, he worked as a classic country music DJ and in 1962 he helped launch the first FM station in Kansas.  Donald went on to do a guest appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, before joining WIBW-AM as a country announcer and broadcast engineer.  It was during his time with WIBW that he had the privilege of writing liner notes for one of Loretta Lynn’s albums.  In 1987, Donald hosted a radio program in St. Joseph, Missouri, and in 1992, he switched to television broadcasting as an engineer for KTWU.  In 1997, his love of classic country music finally allowed him to launch his own radio station on a small farm south of Herington, Kansas. KDMM-FM provided music, news and local sports to the Dickinson, Marion and Morris counties of Kansas.

Donald had a penchant for collecting rare coins, obscure western movies, empty gift cards and food containers, and Central National Bank ballpoint pens.  He loved cheering on his favorite teams: the Kansas City Royals and the University of Kansas Jayhawks and refused to take off his thoroughly disgusting Kansas City Chiefs jacket which he wore year-round.

Donald was an avid ham radio operator and a longtime member of the Kansas Association of Broadcasters.  Over the course of his career in radio, he interviewed more than a hundred country music stars, including Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Eddy Arnold, Buck Owens, Roger Miller, Tammy Wynette, and Loretta Lynn. In 2009, Donald enjoyed a moment of fame when he was inducted into the Kansas Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. Donald was also a member of the Lecompton United Methodist Church and the Lecompton Historical Society and enjoyed attending local community events. 

While interpersonal relationships and societal norms always seemed a challenge for Don, he miraculously survived three marriages, the last of which was 42 years to Evelyn (Sheard) Willis. Evelyn endured hours of western movies, helped him fulfill his dream of owning his own radio station and always welcomed and nurtured his relationships with his daughters.

Donald is survived by two daughters, Lori Lynn Kniss (Darrell) of Maryland and LeAnn LaRae Schueneman (Jimmy Abrashoff) of Maryland, as well as two grandsons, Tyler Schueneman and Dillon Schueneman, also of Maryland; two nieces, Lisa Rodriquez and Kelly Willis, both of Hutchinson, Kansas; and stepchildren Kenneth Smith (Linda) of Lecompton, Kansas and Lori Haaga (Matthew) of Lawrence, Kansas.  Donald was preceded in death by his grandparents, and his father and mother, Weston and Marie Willis, longtime residents of Herington, Kansas, as well as his only brother, James, formerly of Hutchinson, Kansas.  Cremation is planned.