Gift from Lawrence surgeon and his wife puts KU steam whistle back in business

LAWRENCE -- Thanks to a Lawrence surgeon and his wife, the University of Kansas steam whistle -- silent since January -- will begin marking the end of classes at KU once again.

Neal Lintecum, M.D., and his wife, Julie, pledged to cover the manufacture and installation of a new whistle in honor of Neal's late father, Dean. The couple's pledge to the Kansas University Endowment Association allowed the university to move quickly to find a replacement for the whistle nicknamed Big Tooter, which suffered an irreparable crack on Jan. 22.

Richardson's Landing, a family-owned steam and air whistle shop in Cincinnati, manufactured the new whistle. Aaron Richardson of the company delivered the whistle today. He will help George Cone, assistant director of mechanical systems and utilities, install the whistle, which will be tested at about 3 p.m.

James A. Long, KU vice provost for facilities planning and management, said the gift from the Lintecums would help carry on a KU tradition that spans more than 90 years.

"The university community is grateful to the Lintecums for their contribution because there were no state funds to replace the whistle, which has been marking the end of classes on Mount Oread since 1912," Long said. "The new whistle wouldn't be possible without their support."

Neal, medicine '90, said his father, who died two days before the old whistle's last blast, would appreciate the gift in his memory.

"My father's funeral was the day the whistle went out, so this gift makes a fitting way to carry on his memory," Neal said. "He had a great love for KU, and he'd appreciate any gift for KU."

Neal called KU Endowment to offer his assistance when he heard the old whistle had broken. He said he hopes the new whistle will last at least as long as its predecessor.

"I just think it's a nice tradition to have that marker for time in Lawrence," Neal said.

Neal described his father as an avid KU football fan who missed only two home games in 35 years. Dean, architecture '55, founded Lintecum Architects in 1969 and directed the Kansas City, Mo., firm for more than 30 years. The native of Olathe was the immediate past president of the Kansas City chapter of the Kansas Alumni Association.

Neal said his late father was proud that everyone in the Lintecum family had graduated from KU. Neal's mother is former KU cheerleader Frances Henningson, education '55, of Prairie Village. Neal's sister is Ann Lintecum, psychology '82, a resident of Fairway.

Neal is an orthopedic surgeon at Orthopedic Surgery Associates in Lawrence. Julie, who holds a bachelor's degree in communications from Kansas State University, is a jewelry and home interior designer.

KU Endowment is an independent, nonprofit organization serving as the official fund-raising and fund-management organization for KU. Founded in 1891, KU Endowment is the first foundation of its kind at a U.S. public university and one of the largest.