Lady, Wendell Archives - Kansas Oral History Project

Interview of Sue Peterson, May 13, 2025

Interviewed by Mark Tallman

Sue Peterson reflects on how she became involved in state politics and how her various positions in the executive and legislative branches taught her “the process” it took to get anything accomplished in the Statehouse. She later used these experiences in her role as the Assistant to the President at Kansas State University (KSU) to help that institution secure significant opportunities. The interview includes stories about people and programs they championed. These opportunities included KSU’s selection as the location for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility and the transformation of the Kansas Technical Institute in Salina into K-State Salina. Show MorePeterson shares that her role was “to advocate, and to educate, and…to defend” her institution. Show Less

Interview of Edward Rolfs, September 23, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

Rolfs served during a productive period in Kansas politics and he was a key player in tax and fiscal policy, chairing the tax committee through reappraisal and classification. and major income tax reform. Rolfs tells great stories, about his grandfather, Frank Carlson, Governor Bob Bennett and why he wasn't reelected, and leadership races. His interview discusses the rationale for sales tax exemptions, the politics of the severance tax in the 1982 election, the "booster" tax affecting Johnson County, the working relationship on the House Taxation Committee, and the simplification of the Kansas Income tax in 1988. Rolfs Show Moredescribes the conundrum of property tax reappraisal and classification and its resulting impacts on the 1990 governor's race where Joan Finney beat both prior governors, Carlin and Hayden. And Rolfs had several Joan Finney stories and one about Kathleen Sebelius. There is also a great story about how Rolfs, the Young Turk who wanted to cut everything was put on the Ways and Means Subcommittee for SRS and Mental Health/Retardation. Bob Harder, Secretary encouraged Rolf to visit the state institutions and it changed his attitude. The interview closes with his reflections on the state of government 35 years after he served. Show Less

Interview of Carl Holmes, August 22, 2024

Interviewed by Rex Buchanan

This interview of former Representative Carl Holmes presents his perspective on the energy and environmental issues that were considered by the Kansas Legislature during his time in office -- 1985-2013. He traces at least some of his interest in the detailed workings of the energy industry to his youth when he spent time observing the oil and gas industry in far southwest Kansas. Holmes describes developing a point of view that encompasses the need for diversity in the types of energy available in Kansas and across the country and his growing concern for the security of energy infrastructure, Show Moreespecially after the attacks on the U.S. in September 2001. During this interview Holmes provides insights to his approach to chairing a legislative committee and his dedication to ensuring that his fellow committee members had at their disposal the information necessary to make sound policy decision. Some of those decisions included a 2006 multi-faceted energy bill that addressed many aspects of energy production including oil refining, pipelines, nitrogen fertilizer production, cellulosic ethanol production, integrated coal gasification, and power plants. Holmes discusses other complex issues including the controversy over plans to expand the Holcomb Power Station, addressing water pollution from a variety of industries, and underground storage safety issues, among others.

Highlights -- short excerpts from the interview

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Interview of Wint Winter, August 9, 2024

Interviewed by Chris Courtwright

This lengthy interview covers not only the decade of his legislative service, 1983-1992, but his continued involvement with politics up to the present time. The 80's and early 90's saw considerable change in taxes, education funding, abortion law, to name a few. The severance tax, the "booster" tax, classification and reappraisal and a new school finance law that lowered property taxes were all discussed. Senator Winter chaired the Judiciary committee and was Vice-chair of Appropriations during that period. He was able to shore up the KPERS fund for state employees and provide appropriate funding for educational Show Moreinstitutions, including colleges and universities. Senator Winter was a strong advocate for bipartisanship, saying, "No Party has a monopoly on good ideas." After leaving the Legislature, he was a founder of Traditional Republicans for Common Sense.

Highlights --short excerpts from the interview

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Interview of Joe Hoagland, January 23, 2023

Interviewed by Richard Walker

Kansas government underwent a massive change in the 1970's. Governors Docking and Bennett began reorganizing state government and bringing together a lot of independent commissions and state agencies that were operating autonomously into a cabinet system under the direction of a Secretary, such as the departments of Revenue and Transportation. Joe Hoagland's interview really expands the understanding of how Kansas government was modernized during that period and how new legislative leaders were developed and empowered to act. In addition, Hoagland was involved with several significant pieces of legislation: the 911 emergency phone system, Show Morethe comparative negligence act, mandatory prison sentence for crimes committed with a firearm, banning the sale of handguns, small claims process. Not only does the interview enlarge our understanding of this modernization, Hoagland, himself is an interesting person with many talents and wide-ranging interests. His business activities have been beneficial to Kansas, our country and the world. Sports lovers will like his description of being a professional baseball scout and the first one to discover Albert Pujols. His airline-related businesses took him abroad, living in Brussels, Belgium for over 20 years. He has taken trips around the world 15 times. He developed a new breed of cattle and started the American Black Hereford Association. He developed a cell phone app called "CattleTracs" to track the movement of cattle in the beef supply chain. The app may soon be used in Brazil to prove beef is not being produced in areas of deforestation where the rainforest has typically been removed to increase areas for grazing cattle. Show Less

Interview of Richard Walker, December 2, 2022

Interviewed by Nancy Parrish

Richard Walker's oral history interview shows the human side of being a judge for 30 years in his hometown of Newton. After a brief foray into politics while fresh out of law school and the private practice of law, Walker found his niche on the bench in his hometown of Newton in Harvey County KS. His describes of a group of young Republican lawmakers organizing to elect Wendell Lady as Speaker. Walker became disillusioned about the parole board practices during his service there but saw a way as a judge to look for creative, flexible alternatives to Show Moreresolving domestic situations and preventing children from being damaged in the process. In 2015 he moved to senior judge status and worked with the Court of Appeals, largely because "he had had it with domestic cases." Show Less

Interview of Thomas (Tim) Owens, October 14, 2022

Interviewed by Nancy Parrish

In this oral history interview, Tim Owens described his career path from military officer to private attorney to city council member to the state legislature. He served seven years in the Kansas House and then ran for the Kansas Senate where he chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee. Owens recounts the pressure from Governor Brownback to change the merit selection procedure for judges, making them elected. Also, the education bills were then being sent to the Judiciary Committee because of lawsuits and that caused friction because of the court's decisions on resolving the Montoy and Gannon school finance Show Morecases. Owens also dealt with a death penalty bill which failed 20-20. He described frequent trips "across the street" carrying messages between the Chief Justice and the Governor's office. He lost his bid for reelection to the Senate in 2012 and afterward taught at Johnson County Community College and retired from the military as a full colonel. He also served a year as municipal judge in Lenexa. Show Less

Interview of George Wingert, October 28, 2022

Interviewed by David Webb

The "legendary" George Wingert served in the Kansas House from 1971-1978, but his political career spanned 50 years, five governors and countless stories. He learned early on the importance of building connections to the Republican majority and leadership and when to vote your district even if your party leader objects. Wingert was involved with higher education issues and the changes to the correctional institutions and mental health institutions and many of the other progressive issues of that period. After leaving the legislature Governor Carlin appointed him to the Kansas Board of Regents where he and fellow Show Moreregent Jordan Haines "hired and fired" a lot of people including college presidents. Then he lobbied for dog racing issues for another 15 years. The interview concludes with a couple of interesting stories about his family's involvement with national Democratic politicians. Show Less

Interview of Joe Knopp, October 15, 2021

Interviewed by Alan Conroy

Joe Knopp's interview takes place 33 years after he left the legislature in 1988 after losing a close election and short-circuiting his political career. His recollections are still vivid and his interview describes a legislature that has changed considerably in recent years. Knopp served from 1981 through 1988 and during that time as chair of the House Judiciary Committee was involved in many significant issues: medical practice, corporate hog farming, changes in the DUI law, death penalty, reapportionment, severance tax. As Majority Leader he dealt with a growing split in the Republican caucus --led by the Rebels. Show More He tried to get votes for a special session on a new highway plan. He describes in detail the process of getting elected to a leadership position and how he won by one vote. He talks candidly about balancing his personal views with those of his constituents, particularly on liquor and gambling issues --and he speaks analytically about losing the election in 1988 and again in 2012 when he ran for the Senate. Good insights for anyone contemplating a run for public office. Show Less

How Things Got Done in the Kansas Legislature

In this video, compiled from interviews on this site, 12 former Kansas legislators who served from 1960-2010 talk about why they ran for public office, how they developed and executed strategy, and how different leaders perceived their roles and what they accomplished. Among others you will hear Dick Bond describe initiating renovation of the Capitol, Steve Morris recall creating a plan to train more engineers, and Fred Kerr explain the need for reappraisal and classification. You also hear Mike Hayden recount lessons learned from two Speakers with vastly different styles who preceded him – Pete McGill and Wendell Show MoreLady. Show Less

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