Russell Jump

Who was Russell Jump?

Frank Russell Jump was Mayor of Wichita, Kansas, serving from 1952–1953. Born in Illinois, Jump's family moved to Kansas, the state where he would spend most of his life, when he was a child. After briefly attending Kansas State University, Jump decided to join the war effort and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley's School of Military Aeronautics. Although he never flew any combat missions, aviation would become a significant part of the rest of his life.

After marrying and returning to Kansas, Jump started a uniform manufacturing company with his wife Florence, and had a daughter, Marjorie. He served as city commissioner of Wichita, Kansas for several years, before becoming the city's mayor. During his brief stint, his most noted achievement was the sale of the city's airport to the United States Air Force, which later became McConnell Air Force Base. After his one-year term as mayor, Jump retired from politics and continued operating his company until the 1960s. At the time of his death, he was recognized as one of the longest lived individuals ever to have held public office.