Steve Jennings - LHS Class of 1952

Winery founder dies
Friday, September 16, 2005
By April Middleton - Salina Journal
Steve Jennings, the founder of Smoky Hill Vineyards and Winery, was killed Friday afternoon in a tractor accident at the winery.
Capt. Brian Shea of the Saline County Sheriff’s Office, said Jennings, 71, Salina, was mowing at the winery, 212 W. Golf Link, with a small tractor. The tractor overturned on Jennings and killed him, Shea said. The accident happened at about 12:15 p.m.
Betty Nelson, who is in charge of sales and marketing at the winery, said Jennings’ family and employees at the winery “are deeply saddened by the sudden loss.”
Jennings founded the winery in 1991 with Kay Bloom. It produced its first wine in 1995. Jennings’ son Norm joined the operation about five years ago and now serves as general manager.
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Steve Jennings is a native Kansan. Born in Winfield, he lived in over twenty communities in western Kansas before starting school in Garden City. He attended high school in Leavenworth and college at the University of Kansas. He came to Salina in 1956 upon his graduation from K.U. with a degree in civil/structural engineering. He worked as a structural engineer for Bucher, Willis & Ratliff designing among other things, the Salina Bicentennial Center.
Steve met his wife Hannelore, or Hanne as she is known, in 1961, and they were married in October of 1962. They have two grown children, Norm in Salina, and Stephanie in Missouri, and five grandchildren.
In 1970, he attended Purdue University and received his Master's Degree in Environmental Engineering. Upon his return to Bucher, Willis & Ratliff, he served as head of the environmental engineering division, manager of the Salina office and as chairman of the board of directors.
After retiring from the firm in 1995, he opened the Smoky Hill Vineyards and Winery. Inspired by Hanne's love of wine (Hanne is from the Rhine & Mossell region of Germany), the winery was Steve's dream of a retirement hobby. Steve currently serves as President and more importantly, wine maker. The winery has grown from an initial production of less than two hundred gallons to 80,000 bottles. Many wines have received awards from around the world.