Harold "Mike" Eisenbarth

Harold “Mike” Eisenbarth, 81, of Topeka, passed away Thursday, August 27, 2026.

He was born September 12, 1944, in Seneca, Kansas, the son of Lawrence and Viola (Clark). He graduated from Wetmore High School in 1962. Following graduation, he attended and earned his Bachelors Degree in Industrial Engineering from Kansas State University in 1967. He later earned his MBA from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Harold married his high school classmate and sweetheart, Virginia Sue Ford on June 4, 1966 in Wetmore, KS. They recently celebrated 60 years of marriage.

Following his ROTC commissioning into the Air Force in 1967, he served 4 years on active duty as an officer. Harold was later employed by TWA in Kansas City for 30 years, retiring in 2004. He enjoyed a second 'career' working with DM Bruce in the financial planning sector for a number of years in Topeka.

As a youth, he loved playing sports, and later was a big fan of the K-State Wildcats, the Kansas City Royals and the Chiefs. He also helped coach and loved playing various sports with all of his kids.

Harold loved traveling with his family. They explored over 40 states and several different countries while the children were younger. He also liked spending time in nature camping with his family or mowing his lawn.

The most important thing to him was family. He loved time spent together. They attended family reunions every year and he would spend hours visiting with relatives.

Survivors include his wife, Virginia Eisenbarth; children, Brad (Amy) Eisenbarth, Dennis (Heather) Eisenbarth, Angela (Rith) Sek and Corey (Shelley) Eisenbarth; his beloved grandchildren, Megan, Wyatt and Mason Eisenbarth and step-granddaughter Taylor (Zak) Smith and one great granddaughter, Claire Smith. He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Lawrence Jr., Ralph, James “Jim”, Don, Bill and John “Pat” Eisenbarth.

His family will greet friends and relatives from 1:30-3:30pm on Sunday, August 30, 2026 at Parker Price & Davidson Funeral Home. A Funeral Ceremony will be held at 1:00 pm on Monday, August 31, 2026 at the Parker-Price & Davidson Funeral Home, 245 N.W. Independence Avenue, Topeka. He will be laid to rest at Wetmore Cemetery in Wetmore, KS. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

To share a memory of Harold or leave a special message for his family, visit the guestbook below.

Eulogy provided by Granddaughter, Megan:

For those who may not know me, my name is Megan. I am Brad’s oldest child and Harold’s oldest grandchild, and I am honored to read his eulogy for you all.

Harold "Mike" Eisenbarth's early life was shaped by the love of so many in his family. When his mother (who was by all accounts an absolute angel) was taken by family to Arizona due to her failing health when he was just six, he stayed with his grandma and grandpa Clark until after his mother's passing in late November 1950. With his father taking a job in Vermont, he lived with his uncle John and aunt Edith for several months before staying with his brother Jim and Blanche and his nephews Chuck and Ed. They lived in Bern and then Seneca, KS until 1957 when Jim’s family moved to Wetmore and Mike stayed in Seneca with his brother June and Lucille so he could finish his 7th grade year at St. Peter and Paul's Catholic school. That summer he moved to Wetmore with Jim and Blanche again to start 8th grade. Mike was like a brother to Chuck and Ed as he stayed with them through High School, and Chuck recalled not wanting to go visit him when he was at K-State because he just missed him so much.

While in high school in their class of 14, he met a dynamic young lady named Virginia, who was a classmate, cheerleader, and athlete. They eventually were in the school play ("If Mother Only Knew"), where he played a role across from Virginia where she kissed him in the final act of the play. I'll give you one guess as to which act they wanted to rehearse the most.

While Mike played football and baseball in high school, and intramurals in college, he loved baseball the most. From his days as a boy hitting rocks with a stick and playing catch off the barn door for hours at a time, he developed a love for it that carried through his life. From hitting fly balls to his kids down at the church field in Liberty, MO, to playing in softball leagues, the sport remained a big part of his life. Years later, in a double header with Brad on the Church team when he was about 45, he learned a hard lesson on getting older, as he was incredibly sore for the whole next week.

While in college, Mike loved packing into Ahearn Fieldhouse for K-State basketball games and spending time with Virginia. They were married on June 4th, 1966 and Virginia graduated the next day. She taught school in Manhattan that next year while Mike finished up in Engineering and ROTC. Upon his graduation, they embarked on a whole new adventure in the Air Force and family life.

Mike and Virginia had four kids, A, B, C, and D, as you may have seen in the signature line of a greeting card at some point. Angie, Brad, and Dennis were chosen names, but someone figured out the youngest and last one needed to start with a C, thus Corey. As Mike transitioned out of the Air Force and eventually to TWA in 1974, it wasn't long before they were able to take advantage of the traveling perks that came with working for an airline. Some vacations were ‘off season’, like Arizona in July, but many involved going

to the zoo and the capital building, or historic sites and at least one meal of a loaf of bread and a package of bologna. Ask the kids or Virginia about the miles long Freedom Trail march through Boston where Virginia was wearing wooden sandals and one of the most infamous Eisenbarth kids photos was taken.

The kids loved traveling to see new places and have new adventures. The challenge was typically finding flights that had enough seats available. One particular time, coming back through St. Louis, there were only five seats left on the plane and the family was standing there by the boarding agent when Mike asked if Corey (who was 3) could sit on his lap (two being the oldest that was allowed at the time). The agent said "what, this two year old?" to which Corey looked up and said proudly "I'm three". Mike and the agent smiled at each other and he sent them all to get on the plane.

During that time, Mike continued his education, earning his MBA at UMKC while working full-time while Virginia was home wrangling four young children...those were years of very little sleep for both of them! He always credited Virginia with being SO tireless, but in reality they were a team of the most dedicated, wonderful parents.

Mike and Virginia continued to go to K-State football games (season ticket holders since 1991) and then added the women's basketball games after moving to Topeka in 2007. They soon became fans of the local Washburn Ichabod's, and continued following the TV version of the Royals and Chiefs. One year the family honored them with a paving brick that became a part of the K-State football stadium renovation and it sits just to the right of Bill Snyder's statue, and reads "The Eisenbarth Family, a True K-State Legacy". Be sure to look for it on your next visit!!

As grandkids came along, starting with number one (me), and began growing up, Grandma and Grandpa loved to see us in our school concerts and marching competitions, at our sporting events, over holidays, at numerous state basketball tournaments and most recently, the State Tennis tournament this spring here in Topeka, and of course at K-State games.

And finally, and particularly meaningful, he always enjoyed his many visits with Aunt Dode and Jim and Blanche, monthly breakfast at Perkins with Uncle Lou & Nadine, phone calls with his sisters-in-law and so many others. He absolutely cherished all family and certainly enjoyed reunions where he loved to discover and share old photos of family on his big board; and any other chance to visit with YOU!!

As you already know, my grandpa was no stranger to hard work & sacrifice for his family with his gentle spirit and never ending generosity. Harold "Mike" Eisenbarth, one of the KINDEST people we all know.