Bernie Papin

Bernie Papin was born on August 24, 1934, in Little Rock, Arkansas. His parents were Menna Harris Papin and Frank Papin, and he was their only child. Kansas City was actually the family’s home and they returned from Little Rock soon after Bernie was born.

Bernie attended Faxon Grade School and graduated from Paseo High School in 1952. He attended the University of Oklahoma where he majored in Radio and Television Broadcasting and graduated in 1956 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. While at OU, Bernie was a member of Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. He was a varsity cheerleader and remained a proud Sooner fan throughout his lifetime. One of his favorite activities was returning to OU in the fall for a football weekend with one or more of his grandsons. Bernie’s cheerleading sweater is on display at the Switzer Center, OU’s football museum on the campus in Norman, Oklahoma.

After graduation, Bernie worked briefly as the news director at KSEK Radio, a small station in Pittsburg, Kansas. It was while living in Pittsburg, in 1956, that Bernie married his high school sweetheart, Ann Crawford.

In early 1957, Bernie received his draft notice and chose to volunteer for active duty through his National Guard unit. He was initially assigned to the Headquarters of the First Cavalry Division in Tokyo, Japan, and was soon joined by Ann. Not long after arriving in Japan, Bernie auditioned for a position as an announcer at the Far East Network. F.E.N. was the U.S. Army’s radio network that served the several hundred thousand American troops and their dependents stationed throughout Japan. As soon as the audition was completed, Bernie was immediately accepted by the network and spent the remainder of his two years in Japan as a disc jockey and staff announcer. He was eventually promoted to chief announcer.

Bernie and Ann returned to Kansas City, after he was honorably discharged from the Army in 1959. They brought with them their first child, Deborah Ann, who was born at Tokyo Army Hospital in 1957. In 1960, their second daughter, Merrill Lee, was born.

After returning to Kansas City, Bernie worked as an announcer at KMBZ Radio and at KMBC-TV. However, he had an entrepreneurial spirit and left broadcasting in 1961 for a career in advertising. He was a founder and president of Fremerman-Papin Advertising, Inc. In 1977, Bernie sold his 50 percent share of F&P and founded B. Papin Advertising, Inc., which he headed until he retired in 2016.

Throughout his career, Bernie’s agencies served an impressive list of clients, including Sears, Payless Shoe Source, Helzberg’s Diamonds, Lawn Boy Power Mowers, Sealy Mattress, Yellow Freight, American Freightways, National Public Radio, the University of Kansas Medical Center, Menorah Medical Center and his most loyal client of all, Dick Smith Ford. Four generations of the Smith family were clients for more than 50 years, until they sold the dealership in 2016.

Bernie served on the Board of Directors of the Advertising and Sales Executives Club and the Better Business Bureau, and as member of the Board of Trustees of Menorah Medical Center. He was an avid tennis player and held memberships in the Rockhill Tennis Club, Kansas City Racquet Club and Woodside Tennis Club. He also enjoyed playing poker and competed in tournaments throughout the region.

Bernie was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Menna Papin, and by his youngest daughter, Merrill, who died of cancer at the age of 32. His is survived by his daughter, Deborah Kriske, son-in-law, Kenneth Kriske and three grandsons, K.J., David and Sam Kriske. There will be a private family service.