Arnold H. Weiss

A Celebration of Life will be held for Arnold H. Weiss from 1:00 – 3:45 p.m. on Sunday, March 25, 2018 at the Spencer Art Museum.

Private inurnment was held at Pioneer Cemetery.

He was born on August 19, 1915 in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Adolph and Esther (Hyman) Weiss. He died on July 22, 2017 in Lawrence.

He graduated from Western Reserve University in Cleveland in 1943 with a bachelor’s degree in Classics, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He then served his country in the United States Army Signal Corps during World War II as a First Lieutenant. He participated in and received Battle Stars for the Invasion of Normandy and the Liberation of Paris. He also received a Bronze Star for his military career.

He completed an M.A. and Ph.D. in Spanish at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. While living in Madison, he enjoyed sailing and working with international students, among other activities. He made several trips to Spain, where he pursued his interests in language, history, archaeology, and culture.

He worked for the University of Kansas for 30 years, until his retirement in 1986. He was a Professor of Spanish and also a Dean in the Graduate School. He was the first director of the KU Summer Program in Barcelona in the early 1960s, and enjoyed taking groups of students to Spain. The Summer Program still continues today. He also spent an academic year working at the University of Costa Rica in the early 1980s.

After retirement, he was actively involved in the KU Endacott Society, including leading the Drama Study group. He was a docent at the Spencer Museum of Art, acted in theatre productions in Lawrence and beyond, including Europe, made regular trips to Chicago to attend the opera, and enjoyed going to local concerts, plays, academic lectures, etc. For many years he delivered meals to seniors when he himself was a senior. He also enjoyed listening to and playing classical music, reading, writing, editing, playing tennis, sailing, watching baseball, and traveling. He visited family members around the U.S. and made several trips to Europe to visit his daughters and grandchildren, and enjoyed adventurous trips to Morocco and Egypt, among other places.

Survivors include his two daughters, Jacquelyn Phillips, Manchester, England, and Jennifer Weiss, Barcelona, Spain; son-in-law, Douglas Phillips; two grandchildren, Claire and Iain; his sister-in-law, Beverly; numerous nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews. He had three brothers, Irving, Gerald, and Nelson. He was the oldest and last surviving brother.

For those wishing to make a memorial contribution in his name, he had suggested the following organizations:

• Case Western Reserve University:
https://securelb.imodules.com

• Spencer Museum of Art:
https://securelb.imodules.com

• Theatre Lawrence:

https://theatrelawrence.showare.com