Frederick Arthur “Fred” Magerkurth, 78, of Lee's Summit, MO, previously of Lake Lotawana, MO, and Topeka, KS, died peacefully on January 10, 2026, after a battle with cancer and resulting health concerns.
Fred was born on August 5, 1947, the second of three sons of Richard and Jean (Knott) Magerkurth. The family moved from Oklahoma to Whitewater, KS, before settling in Topeka when Fred was in fourth grade. Fred became involved in scouting as a boy and eventually attained the rank of Eagle Scout. An active kid with lots of energy, he also swam competitively and played football for Topeka High School.
Fred attended the University of Kansas where he studied business and became a lifelong fan of KU basketball. Fred's deepest desire from boyhood was to fly planes, a dream he realized after graduating from KU when he became a Marine Corps pilot. He primarily flew F4 Phantoms and found peace and joy in the air. He was quietly proud of his service, speaking of it as “nothing special, just the thing you do." As he always said, there's no such thing as a former Marine.
A financial advisor for the remainder of his career, Fred had a gift for connecting with and empowering clients to meet their financial goals. Many of his clients became friends and he would chat with them regularly about shared interests. He retired as an advisor from Wells Fargo.
Fred loved hiking, swimming, and sailing, and for decades served as one half of a team that won numerous regattas all over the country. In his later years, Fred played racquetball three times a week. He carried the skills he learned as a Scout through the remainder of his life and was always prepared with a pocketknife and compass. He was fond of all things in the sky: planes, birds, and stars. He usually had a pair of binoculars and a Sibley Guide to Birds handy. Fred was fascinated by outer space and was known to get up early or stay up late for the chance to see meteors. An avid reader, Fred cherished his collection of books about art and American history along with his subscriptions to the Wall Street Journal, Astronomy magazine, and The Missouri Conservationist.
Fred loved cowboy and western art, especially the art of Charles M. Russell and Birger Sandzén. Classical music and poetry were other interests of Fred’s. His favorite poets were Robert Service and Robert Frost. Fred even had some of their works committed to memory, which he would share aloud when the mood struck.
Fred liked to laugh and introduced his children to his favorite funny movies, from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to Monty Python. He was eager to discover new comedy shows, movies, and even music, like Weird Al. Fred encouraged his children to follow their passions and live life to its fullest. He loved hearing about his children and grandchildren’s projects and adventures. He especially enjoyed hearing them play music.
Fred is survived by his daughter Kat Magerkurth and her children Isabella Rosaless and Joaquin Rosales; his daughter Laura Herbst (Jackson); and his son Matthew Magerkurth (Ashlin Hunter). He is also survived by many cousins, nieces, nephews, and numerous colleagues and friends, including his second wife and close friend Marilee. He was preceded in death by his parents, his stepfathers Francis Collins and Clarence Webb, his brothers Tom and John, and his son-in-law Stephen Rosales.
The family would like to thank the St. Luke's Health System, and particularly the palliative and hospice team, for their gentle and compassionate care of Fred in his final days. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Fred's name to St. Luke’s Hospice House (https://www.saintlukeskc.org/giving/saint-lukes-foundation) or Lakeside Nature Center (https://lakesidenaturecenter.org/how-to-help/donate/). A private celebration of life will be held at a later date.
