Kirk Sanborn Weilepp

After a five year long battle with pancreatic cancer Kirk Weilipp died on March 2, 2024.

            Kirk Sanborn Weilepp was born on April 16th, 1948 at Ransom Memorial Hospital in Ottawa, Kansas to Charles Edward and Patricia Louise Weilepp.  They moved to Topeka, Kansas later that year.  Kirk attended Randolph Grade School from 1953 through 1959.  In the fall of 1960 he began attending St. John's Military School in Salina, Kansas, graduating in 1966.  While at St. John's, Kirk became a founding member of the St. John's Drum and Bugle Corps, playing the snare drum.  In the spring of 1966, he and the Corps participated in two "Crews" at Marti Gras in New Orleans.

            Upon graduation he attended Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.  While there, he became involved with the Air Force ROTC program, seeking a flying position. However, by the fall of 1968, he welcomed the opportunity to join the production crew of WIBW-TV in Topeka.  He started as a camera operator for the 6:00 and 10:00 pm news programs. After a few years he became the daytime production director.  For several years, he directed live news casts and did commercial production work for the station and local advertising agencies.  In 1980, he moved up into station management taking over the operation of the television production department.  While at WIBW-TV, Kirk was on the remote broadcasting crews for Big 8 Basketball on TVS and then NBC.  Beginning in 1972, the TV station created the All American Network and began to televise quarter horse races from Ruidoso Downs in Ruidoso, New Mexico.  They broadcast three live horse races a season, the Kansas Futurity, the Rainbow Futurity, and The All American Futurity. They were billed as "The World's Richest Horse Race" with a purse of One Million Dollars.  Kirk continued as Production Manager at WIBW-TV till the Spring of 1985.

            In June of 1985 Kirk moved to Longmont, Colorado to start his own business, The Production House.  After being established for a few years, he started working at IBM  in Boulder, Colorado. He worked as a contractor with the IBM Printing Systems Division.  He created many video projects in the form of training videos for the various printing products they offered.  Along the way he attended several large sales and trade show events each year from New York to Los Angeles and many large cities in between. 

            During his time in Longmont, Kirk joined the local television Channel 3. They televised mostly local high school sports events, including the Channel 3 IBM Game of the Week.  This included local high school football, basketball, soccer, and volleyball.  He also became a member of the Longmont Cable Trust Board for 29 years and acted as their chairman for over 20 years.

In retirement Kirk enjoyed sitting on his back porch and watching the trains go by. He was able to ride on the Southern Pacific Daylight, and the Union Pacific Big Boy. They were the highlights of his life and fulfilled his passion for trains. He also developed a high definition television studio. The studio became known as the Captn's Lounge and produced a variety of web based programs. Another dream fulfilled. 

Kirk is proceeded in death by his Mother Pat in 2001, and his Father Ed in 2011.

A Celebration of Life will be held on April 14, 2024 at 1:00pm. D-Barn Reception Hall, 136 S. Main Street, Longmont, CO 80501.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Rocky Mountain Cancer Center, pancreatic  cancer division.