Elvin Eugene McIntosh (Mac) died peacefully in his sleep Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, at his home in Newton Presbyterian Manor. He was 89 years old and was ready to join his wife, Karen, in Heaven. Mac was born in Newton on July 23, 1934 to Marvel (Flint) and Robert McIntosh. He was the youngest of three sons and had a younger sister. Life was hard growing up in Peabody but Mac told stories of playing football, hunting, trapping and helping his dad on the farm. When he was 16, he chose to live with friends so he could finish high school instead of dropping out to get a job. He graduated from Burns High School in 1952.
After graduation, Mac joined the army and served in the Korean War. He was a corporal in the infantry and told stories about running races during training and learning to ski so he could serve his country. His one dream was to take a Kansas Honor Flight to visit the Korean War memorial in Washington D.C. but health issues made that difficult.
After the war, Mac returned to Peabody and began working for the railroad. While living there he would visit the local ice cream shop and a part-time clerk named Karen caught his attention. After several trips for ice cream, Mac finally asked her on a date. They were married 6 months later on Aug. 8, 1957. Shortly after, they moved to Hutchinson where Mac took a job as a fork-lift operator at Dillon’s Warehouse where he worked for nearly 40 years. He made life-long friends with many co-workers. During this time Mac and Karen welcomed a son, David Eugene and a daughter, Sheri Ann.
Mac loved to go fishing and camping with his family. He also enjoyed playing poker, dominoes, and doing puzzles. As his children grew up, Mac would support them in all their activities, but when son David joined The Sky Ryders Drum and Bugle Corp, Mac took his summer vacation time and volunteered to drive the supply truck following the Corp to performances throughout the U.S. His other love was Jr. College basketball. During a week every March, Mac would not miss a game during the NJCAA tournament at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. For many years during this week, Mac would connect with a team from another state and invite them to visit Mrs. Mac’s class to tell about their game, state, and interests of the team. A highlight of these geography lessons was comparing shoe sizes and height between players and elementary students. Several times, Mr. and Mrs. Mac would take her students on a field trip to watch their adopted team play at the tournament.
Mac shared his love of sports with his grandchildren. After retirement, the Macs rarely missed a football, basketball or volleyball game. He also went to many band and choir programs. If a grandchild needed a ride anywhere, Mac was quick to volunteer.
In 2013, Mac lost the love of his life, Karen. Six months later he lost his son David. The last 11 years were a time for Mac to find his new normal. He learned how to use a cell phone even though he hated to make calls. He was great with numbers and would do a Sudoku puzzle every day of the year, but he also worked very hard to practice reading and was proud when he was able to finish a book and talk to his daughter, Sheri, about what he had read. He stopped attending Jr. College basketball, but didn’t miss a KC Royals or KC Chiefs game and loved to talk about plays for days after. During this time, Mac started meeting former high school classmates for coffee each week while also developing wonderful connections with the people living at the Broadway Apartments and the Newton Presbyterian Manor.
Mac was a hardworking man. In order to stay busy after his wife’s death, he got a job at Conklin Cars in Newton, shuttling cars from one location to another. Mac was a “car guy” and kept track of every car he drove and where he took it. Often when Sheri would call him after work, he would have to call her back because he was “on the road” somewhere between Newton and a surrounding town. He enjoyed this job for nearly five years.
Mac was like most men his age: cared for his family, worked hard to support them and gave them everything they needed and most of what they wanted. He believed in laughing and loving and having faith in God. He is finally reunited with his wife Karen, his son David, his sister Colleen Bruner, and his brothers and parents. He has also finally met his great grandson Ezekiel Elijah Hill. Mac is survived by: his daughter, Sheri and Marlin Janzen; grandson Ryan and Amanda Janzen and great granddaughters, Nora and Sage; grandson Evan Janzen and Stephy Khairallah and great granddaughter Mischa; grandson Allen McIntosh; and granddaughter Karis and Joel Hill and great grandchildren Jackson, Ellie and Zoey. Like many men, Mac had faults and doubted his value but his friends and family are grateful to have known him and know the world was a better place because he lived in it.
Burial with military honors will be a graveside service at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Kansas Honor Flights in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501