Murrel Wesley Bland, distinguished journalist and devoted community leader who spent more than five decades chronicling life in western Wyandotte County, passed away peacefully on Nov. 17, 2025, in Kansas City, Kan. He was 84.
Born on a farm near Enid, Okla., Bland moved with his family in 1949 to another farm north of Ottawa, Kan., where he developed the values of hard work and community service that would define his life. After graduating from Ottawa High School, he pursued his passion for journalism at the University of Kansas, earning a Bachelor of Science degree from the William Allen White School of Journalism in 1963.
His time at KU made him a lifelong Jayhawk fan and while in school he interned with the Ottawa Herald and Topeka Daily Capital and State Journal.
More importantly though, he met Carol Wilkinson at KU, and they married in 1962. After Bland’s active duty in the Air Force, the couple built their life and raised a family in Kansas City, Kansas, where Murrel began his journalism career in 1964 as a photographer and writer for The Kansas City Star.
In 1968, Murrel and Carol embarked on an entrepreneurial venture that would become their life’s work. As Bland later recalled, they launched The Wyandotte West on June 20, 1968, as “a couple of twenty-something kids who had a gut feeling that the existing daily newspapers were ignoring this market of about 30,000 residents.”
Without much working capital or a business plan, they often put in 16-hour days in an era before advanced desktop publishing and digital photography. Their breakthrough came when they partnered with Wyandotte Plaza Shopping Center to produce a shopping guide. The venture expanded to include The Piper Press and investments in weeklies in neighboring Leavenworth and Platte counties, forming a marketing alliance called Community Publishers to compete with larger dailies.
Throughout his career, Bland spent countless hours covering local government meetings, always reminding public officials of their responsibility to adhere to Kansas Open Meetings and Records laws.
He believed strongly in civic engagement and felt it was responsible journalism to endorse candidates “whether it was for The White House or the Court House.” In 2004, the couple sold the business to Tonda Rush, their first employee, who had gone on to law school and worked for newspaper trade associations before returning to continue the community journalism legacy they had built.
In later years, Bland ran a consulting business, publishing occasional opinion columns in the Wyandotte Daily News, providing his long-term perspective on the day-to-day happenings in the area and keeping a watchful eye on the goings-on at city hall and the statehouse.
Bland’s professional leadership extended beyond his own publications, and the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame honored his contributions to journalism with his induction in 2002. He served on the Kansas Press Association board from 1975 to 1988, including a term as president from 1986 to 1987. He remained active as a board member of the Kansas Newspaper Foundation and as a trustee of the William Allen White Foundation.
Bland showed his devotion to community in more than just journalism. He deeply engaged in civic life, serving with the William Allen White Foundation, Business West, the Wyandotte County Historical Society, the Unified Government Landmarks Commission, the KCK Chamber of Commerce, and Cancer Action.
Faith and service were central to his life. A member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Kansas City, Kansas, since 1972, he served on the Vestry and as senior warden for multiple terms. In 2007, he authored a book documenting the church’s 150-year history, preserving its legacy for future generations.
Murrel was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde and Tennyson Bland, and his sister, Marilyn Bland. He is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Carol; his daughter, Kimberly Bland, and son-in-law, Chris Seidel; his brother, Milton Bland, and sister-in-law, Joan Bland; sister-in-law Betty Wilkinson; a niece; two nephews; two grandchildren; and other cherished family members.
Wyandotte County will remember Murrel Bland as a champion of community journalism and freedom of the press who built a newspaper from the ground up through determination and long hours. He worked tirelessly to build a more informed and connected community, holding public officials accountable while celebrating the people and places of Wyandotte County.
A devoted husband, father, friend, he leaves a legacy of personal integrity, community service, and dedication to the craft of journalism.
Columbarium interment will take place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Kansas City, Kansas. Arrangements are under the care of Porter Funeral Home.