In the month since Kansas native and longtime U.S. senator Bob Dole passed away, his family, friends and colleagues from both sides of the aisle have mourned and remembered a man who knew how to compromise in the best of ways, and who never forgot where he came from.

Dole, who was born and raised in Russell, Kansas, about 120 miles northwest of Wichita, died Dec. 5, 2021, at the age of 98. Ten months earlier he announced he had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He is survived by his wife, former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, and daughter Robin.

Gravely injured in World War II at the age of 21, Dole went on to serve in the House of Representatives, followed by five terms in the U.S. Senate, and made three losing bids for the presidency. But despite becoming an important American figure, he remained humble, making it a personal goal to touch one person’s life each day.

“Senator Dole always imparted the best advice to me, which was to ‘always remember where you are from,” said U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. “He was forever a Kansan who always put service above self and was profoundly dedicated to bettering the lives of all those in our great state.”

While his service to his country both on the battlefield and in Washington were noble, the second half of his life was dedicated to veterans and to remembering them through the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. In 1997 Dole took over as the national chairman of the fundraising campaign for the memorial, and helped raise over $190 million. The memorial was completed and dedicated in 2004, and Dole was a frequent visitor to the site.

“Most every Saturday he spent the morning here welcoming folks in the Honor Flights and any veterans who came by,” Marshall said during a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial shortly after Dole’s death.

Born in 1923 in rural Russell, Dole was a high school athlete who wanted to be a doctor. While serving in World War II, Dole took a hit from a German shell that shredded his right shoulder and left him temporarily paralyzed from the neck down. He lay on the battlefield for 10 hours after the injury. During an interview a

few years ago, Dole choked up remembering how his friends at Dawson Drug Store in Russell passed around a cigar box for donations, then left it on the counter for customers to contribute.

He won two Purple Hearts for his injuries and a Bronze Star for heroic service. “I figured out that lying in bed the rest of my life was not an option,” Dole said in an interview. After 39 months in military hospitals, he finally left, moving to Tucson for a year before attending Washburn University in Topeka to pursue a law degree. It was there that a professor suggested he enter politics.

Dole was known for his sense of humor, patience, and ability to make bipartisan deals. As a Republican, he advocated for lower taxes and smaller government while supporting civil and disability rights. He was a champion of compromise, said supporters and critics alike.

“While he had incredible negotiating skills and was tough as nails, it was his huge heart and ability to work across the aisle that constantly led the way and delivered results for all Americans,'' Marshall said. “For him, it was always more than politics; it was about being a positive influence for our nation and the world. There is no doubt, Laina and I are blessed to consider him as one of our greatest role models, a mentor, and a dear friend.”