Pedro Lira, Sr.

Pedro Lira, Sr., born April 27, 1928 in Barclay, KS, passed away peacefully at his home on July 29, 2021 in Topeka, KS.

Pedro was one of eleven children born to Eleuteria and Marcos Lira. His siblings, Manuel, Donald, Marcelino, Rosa, Guadalupe, Antonia, and John preceded him in death. His surviving siblings include Sylvester, Raymond, and Henry Lira.

While attending Emporia State University, he met Elvira Cisneros, and they were united in marriage on May 23, 1953 at St. Catherine's Parish in Emporia, KS.  Born to this union were six children, Marcos Lira (d.), MaryHelen Koehler (d.) (Jim), Rita Ford (Rick), Consuelo Marshall, Pedro Lira, Jr. (Christine), and Angela Swisher.

Pedro and Elvira had nineteen grandchildren, three of whom preceded him in death, Daniel Lira, TJ Marshall, and Miguel Lira-Sanders.  They also had numerous great-grandchildren.

After attending ESU, Pedro enlisted in the United States Army during the Korean War.  Following his military service, he worked for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad (A.T.&S.F.) as a carman welder until his retirement in 1997.

In his leisure time, Pedro enjoyed driving the bus for St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Osage City, KS.  He was very involved in his children's school activities as well as those of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  He was an avid gardener, planting rose bushes and numerous other flowers for his wife, Elvira.  He enjoyed traveling and taking vacations with his family, who will miss him dearly.

Soon after Mr. Lira lost his wife of 54 years in August 2007, his daughter, Angela, and her son, Joseph, moved to Osage City, KS to help take care of his household needs.  Two years later, in December 2009, Pedro became ill with a brain disease that would come to be diagnosed as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.  During the 12-year ordeal, the family would move several times.  First to Lawton, OK, with Pedro's granddaughter Casie Burns and her family, back to Topeka, KS, then to Phoenix, AZ with his son, Pedro Lira, Jr. and his family, then finally back to Kansas, first to Ft. Riley with his granddaughter, Casie, and her family, then on to Topeka, where he resided with his daughter, Angela, and her son, Santiago.

Throughout the time of his battle with PSP and Dementia, Pedro enjoyed cruising the country roads of Lawton, looking for free-range buffalo and longhorns, playing with his great-granddaughters Georgia and Olivia, and eating plenty of Braum's ice cream.  His time in Phoenix was spent mountain climbing, sipping Coors Light, and lounging by the pool with his son, Pete, Jr., his granddaughters Chelsea and Mercedes, and Chelsea's children, Kylie, Blake, Taeva, and Xandon.  Back in Kansas, Pedro began slowing down, but still enjoyed watching Bonanza and Gunsmoke, giving his grandsons, Joseph and Santiago, a hard time, and going for rides eating G's Frozen Custard.

Services will include a Rosary at 9:30 am followed by Mass of Christian burial at 10:00 am at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Topeka, KS on Wednesday, August 11, 2021.  Interment of remains at Osage City Catholic Cemetery, in Osage City, KS, will follow Mass.

If you'd like to help the family, you can make donations to the Pedro Lira Funeral Expenses page at givebutter.com/tZZc6l.  The family asks that you keep the memory of their beloved grandfather, father, and patriarch by enjoying some brown bread custard from G's and taking a cruise down the Scenic River Road, one of Pedro's many favorite activities.