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Michael A. Dunlap, 44, the newspaper and yearbook adviser at Blue Valley West High School, died unexpectedly of an aneurysm at his home on Monday, Aug. 2.

Dunlap taught journalism at Blue Valley West, served as Mass Communication Department chairman, and was program facilitator for journalism for the Blue Valley Unified School District.  His previous teaching experience includes Lawrence, Leavenworth and Shawnee Mission North High Schools. At each school, his students excelled at state and national journalism and yearbook competitions.

Dunlap was named a Distinguished Yearbook Adviser by the Journalism Education Association in 2000 and was awarded the JEA Medal of Merit in 2001. Dunlap was a past president and influential member of the Journalism Educators of Metropolitan Kansas City. He served as the Local Chair of the 2000 Kansas City JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention. Dunlap was recently named a Kansas Master Teacher by Emporia State University in 2010.

Dunlap was born in Smithville, Mo., to the late John A. Dunlap and Darlene (Mc Fee) Dunlap, on March 9, 1966. He was a 1984 graduate of Stewartsville C-2  High School.  He earned a bachelor’s degree from Northwest Missouri State University in 1989.

In addition to his classroom work at Blue Valley West, he also served as a yearbook consultant, instructed seminars for high school yearbook workshops, and has been on the faculty of summer journalism workshops at Ball State University, Kansas State University and the University of Missouri.

Dunlap was proceeded in death by his father John A. Dunlap, grandparents Alfred and Anola Dunlap, Carl and Doris McFee and Jerry and Louise Vyrostek.

Those left to mourn his sudden departure are: his mother, Darlene Dunlap; his partner, Jeff Morrison; brother Patrick and his wife, Anita; sister Pamela Johnson and her husband Darin; half-brothers Kenneth and his wife Wylene, and John C.; an aunt, Patty Kier; two uncles, Donald Dunlap and Dan Bridgeman; nephews Dakota Dunlap, Avery Johnson, Cole Dunlap and wife Erin, and Matt Dunlap and wife Stephanie; and nieces Kendra Consiglio and husband Chris, Missy Blanton (Greg), plus several cousins, and countless friends, students and co-workers.

The family suggests donations be made to the Journalism Educators of Metro Kansas City (JEMKC) in memory of Mike. Mail contributions to the Bram-Turner Funeral Home, PO Box 350, Maysville, Mo., 64469.

Services will be held at the Bram-Turner Funeral Home in Stewartsville. Visitation is Friday, Aug. 6, 6-8 p.m. The funeral is Saturday, Aug. 7, 10 a.m.