Carol Megrail

Wichita, Kansas- Carol Megrail passed away Friday, February 9 at home after a short battle with metastatic cancer.  Born Carol Rose Flaherty on August 3rd, 1950, she was the oldest child of Claude Meade and Lillian (Hill) Flaherty.

She is survived by her high school sweetheart and husband of 53 years, James Megrail; son, Andrew (Kim) of Topeka, KS; granddaughter Kaitlyn; brothers, Richard Flaherty (Linda) of Great Falls, VA, Scott Flaherty (Yvonne) of North Port, FL; sister, Ellen Alice Flaherty of Midlothian, VA; a niece, Alexandra Kay Rathje (Kyle); great nephew, Gabriel Black; as well as many much loved cousins and friends.

Carol attended the College of William and Mary before she and James moved from their home state of Virginia to Wichita in 1974.  There, she took classes at Wichita State in journalism advised by newspaper editor Charles Pearson and worked at the college radio station, KMUW.

She also became a guest lecturer at WSU through her volunteer efforts with the newly formed Wichita Area Rape Center.  Besides training, counseling and speaking, she was elected Chairperson of the organization in 1976-77, helping to defend the LEAA grant proposal that provided the Center with its first office and professional director.  She remained a volunteer victim counselor with the Center for over 10 years.

Her journalism background allowed her to become an occasional feature writer for the “Wichita Journal”, and for the monthly newspaper, “Equal Times”, and led to her holding other positions including Public Relations Assistant and Volunteer Manager at the Institute of Logopedics, now Heartspring; Director of Development for the Wichita Symphony; and as a scriptwriter, director, account executive and eventually President of the video/multimedia production company, Innovative Communications.  Semi-retired, she owned and operated Creative Communications primarily offering website design.

In addition, during this period, she served as both member and board officer of the Association of Business Communicators, Women in Communications, Wichita Arts Council, Kansas Women’s Political Caucus and Association of Volunteer Administrators.  She was nominated and named a national “Outstanding Young Women of America” in 1979.

Reading; writing fiction; news and politics-of which she was an admitted “junkie”, collecting miniature crystal figurines, cookbooks and nutcrackers; genealogy; Christmas; and blogging or posting on social media were continued interests, if not passions.  Above all, was her love of family and friends, especially of her only son and grandchild, of whom she will always and ever be proud.

A memorial service, a Celebration of Life, will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, April 27, 2024 at West Heights United Methodist Church in Wichita.  Donations in Carol’s name may be made to the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center, West Heights United Methodist Church, Specialized Hospice (Wichita) or the American Cancer Society.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Carol Megrail, please visit our floral store.