Earl Arthur Nehring

Earl Arthur Nehring, 99, died on January 31, 2020 at Presbyterian Manor of Lawrence. He was born in Gildford, Montana on May 28, 1920, the son of Arthur and Myrtle (Burfield) Nehring.

He graduated from Gildford High School in 1936. He attended Northern Montana College from 1936 – 1938 and the University of Montana, Missoula, from 1938 – 1940. He graduated in 1940 with a B.A. in History and Political Science.

He served in the USAAF-Air Transport Command from 1942 – 1946. He was employed in the title insurance business in Los Angeles, California from 1946 – 1950. He entered UCLA Graduate School in 1950, obtaining an M.A. Degree in 1952 and a Ph.D. Degree in 1958.

He taught at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana from 1956 – 1958, then came to the University of Kansas in 1958, where he was a member of the Political Science Department until his retirement in 1985. He served as Department Chairman from 1972 – 1981.

He married Harriet Burgess in Santa Monica, California, August 18, 1956. She preceded him in death in August 2007.

During his retirement years he has been an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Lawrence and an active supporter of Kansas Advocates for Better Care (KABC), a local non-profit organization working to ensure quality long-term care for elder Kansans. His wife, Harriet, was a co-founder of KABC in 1975. He also regularly delivered meals for the Douglas County Senior Services from 1986 – 2014.

He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Neil and Maria Nehring, of Austin, Texas; his daughter and son-in-law, Nancy Nehring and Mark Rudoff, of Columbus, Ohio, and four grandchildren: Julia and Sarah Nehring and Helena and Jackson Rudoff.

The family suggests memorials to Kansas Advocates for Better Care (KABC), 536 Fireside Court, Suite B, Lawrence, KS 66049 or may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.

Earl’s family thanks the staff of Presbyterian Manor and the Visiting Nurses Association for their loving care of our Papa.