Peter Burke Inman

Peter Inman was born to Maurice and  Carol Inman in Los Angeles, CA where he grew up with his brother, Michael, and  sister, Mary Elizabeth. Peter enjoyed activities and competition: playing catcher on a youth baseball team coached by his father, surfing at Santa Monica  beach, and  exploring LA’s canyons on his mountain bike. After a tour of boarding schools and  a summer in Spain, Peter finally graduated from University High School in Los Angeles.

Peter then went on to attend the University of California, Santa Barbara. While he was at UCSB, he met Lori Bjorseth, a girl from Kansas who was attending summer school. She was captivated by the California surfer boy, and  he was smitten with her. She soon transferred from KU to UCLA to be closer to Peter, and  they were inseparable from then on. While he would have  stayed in college forever or continued to follow the Grateful Dead on tour, Peter graduated with degrees in Political Science and  Art History six years later. After a few additional years of slinging copiers in the “real world”, Lori convinced Peter to move  to Kansas City in hopes of starting a family and  joining the family business.

In 1990, they ditched the ocean for a pool in Overland Park, KS, and  were married soon after. During his career with Tech, Peter worked  his way from salesman to president, where he was actively involved in running the company until his passing. He was loved and  respected by all employees, vendors, and  clients, who knew upon meeting Peter, they’d also met a lifelong friend.

The most important friendships in Peter’s life were those with his girls: the love of his life, Lori, and  his two daughters, Maggie  and  Claire. Peter was their biggest fan, personal mechanic, safety queen, and  a constant source of laughter. Anyone who knew Peter knew how much he adored Lori. He was the only husband who was upset when  his wife went on a girls trip. He truly spent every moment of his life making her happy – with a few eye rolls and  a healthy dose of banter in between. Claire was often referred to as “mini-Peter.” They spent countless hours sharing their favorite music, attending concerts, and  taking late-night golf cart rides to the beach. Claire served as his personal paparazzi and  right-hand woman when it came to documenting some of his most-Peter-worthy moments. The two adored each other, and  you never saw Peter more  proud than when  he was watching her sing in front of a crowd. Maggie  was Peter’s greatest confidant and  often the voice of reason. He played the role of her dad, best friend, boss, and  most recently, roommate. He was most proud of her as she became a wife and  mom. When Maggie  married Tom, Peter gained the son he never had. They spent countless late nights discussing God knows what. Peter became “Pedro” when  his first grandson, Graham Groff, was born last year and  was excited about the next addition, Baby Girl Groff, this March. He was the ultimate grandpa in the short time he had  to prove it.

Peter was a fatherly figure well beyond his own family; a loving and caring mentor with a following  who was eager to soak up his presence. He made time for people and  for the moments that mattered. If you were lucky enough to be in his captivating orbit, your life was made richer and  more  memorable. He had  an amazing ability to relate to people of all ages. He was a true kid at heart. Whether it was an outing with one of his new toys, catching a game together, or playing in the sand, the younger generation adored him. As they grew older, his sage advice was counted on by many. Whether relationships, careers, or cars, he could be counted on. Known for late-night stargazing on the beach, music-filled evenings (part banter and  shenanigans), and  lively discussions, stories about Peter spanned generations.

Peter lived every day to the fullest and  was a man of many talents and  passions. He loved music, golf, surfing, skiing, sports, traveling, and  finding the latest and  greatest gadgets and gear. He especially loved the water and  had  found his happy place in Watersound, FL where he spent sunrise to sunset making memories with family and  friends.

Peter grew up loving UCLA Basketball, the Lakers, and  the Dodgers. However, as an adopted Kansas Citian, Peter embraced the sports teams of the area  and  relished watching the Jayhawks, Royals, and  Chiefs win several championships.

You always knew where you stood with Peter. He didn’t mince words, had  a very low tolerance for any kind  of artificiality, and  wasn’t shy about “telling it like it is” — usually with an F-bomb or two sprinkled in. He was always up for a spirited conversation about politics, sports, movies, music, art, etc. He had  a heart of gold and  would do anything for a friend or someone in need.

If you knew Peter, you knew he was constantly quoting movies, and  his most recent favorite was Peanut Butter Falcon. A quote we know he’d be telling us now:

“Yeah, you’re gonna die, it’s a matter of time. That ain’t the question. The question’s, whether they’re gonna have a good story to tell about you when you’re gone.”

And man, do we have  some good “fkn” stories to tell.

Peter’s service will be held at Church of The Nativity (3800 W 119th St, Leawood, KS 66209)  on Friday, February 18th at 11 AM.