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

20 Condolences

  1. Jamie Lata on July 24, 2017 at 10:39 am

    Jackie and Jenny,
    I am so sorry for your loss! You are in my thoughts and prayers. I have very fond memories of growing up around your father.
    All my love,
    Jamie Lata



  2. Jen Godinez on July 24, 2017 at 11:41 am

    Jennifer and Jackie
    I am so sorry for the loss of your father. He was a sweet guy, I truly loved caring for him. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
    Much love
    Jen



  3. David A. Dinneen on July 25, 2017 at 9:20 pm

    Jennifer and Jackie,

    My thoughts are with you. Your father, long before you were born, was the person who taught me the History of the Spanish Language back in 1954 and then we were colleagues for many years, sharing ideas about the History of the Romance Languages. A very good colleague and friend, and I know how much he loved both of you. I hope you are able to remember him that way. I will.

    Love, David



  4. Anita Herzfeld on July 25, 2017 at 11:16 pm

    Dear Jennifer and Jackie,
    I am so terribly sorry I did not get to see you these last days–I have had my hands full. I know how much you cared for your dad and I am sure that your presence must have comforted him greatly at all times. Hope you can remember the good times you had with him and the knowledge he transmitted to you–as he was one of the last “Renaissance” men I have met. My thoughts are with you, and hope that I can be of some help in the days to come. With love, anita



  5. Russ Hutchins on July 26, 2017 at 8:39 am

    He was a great person and a leader for education. He always encouraged others to enjoy the arts. Russ and Joyce Hutchins, Endacacott Society members.



  6. Robert Procter on July 26, 2017 at 11:43 am

    Jennifer and Jackie, I’m so fortunate to have known and worked with your father these last 8 years since I joined the Endacott Society and began assisting him in its play reading group which he’d founded. He was a kind, brilliant man of many assets and virtues and I will miss him greatly. Thank you for sharing him with us and thank you also for being with him to comfort him in his last days and hours.



  7. Mry-Elizabeth Debicki on July 26, 2017 at 12:01 pm

    Dear Girls,
    I knew Jennifer better than Jackie, and it was always a pleasure to watch how carefully you both loved and treated your Dad. I loved following your career, Jennifer, through his eyes. I always enjoyed my interactions with him and I came away from our conversations more enlightened on whatever subject we discussed.

    Andy admired him too. What a wonderful place KU was for all those scholars: Mike, Sharon, both Bobs, George, Roberta, Jill, Vernon, Vicky, Anita, Betsy, and all the others who have continued to be my friends since Andy left us. I know the “department” is continuing its great history with scholars all over the world and Arnold was a great influence on all of that too! God bless you all. And God bless Arnold Weiss



  8. Karen Roberts on July 27, 2017 at 9:05 pm

    I so enjoyed Arnold and our lively discussions. He loved to bring in pictures of the twins and show them off. He was a kind and charming fellow, and a great conversationalist. He will be missed.



  9. Ben and Joyce Friesen on July 27, 2017 at 9:29 pm

    Ben and Joyce Friesen:

    We miss the presence of Arnold at meal time at Brandon Woods. He was an encouragement to us. It is also where we met ‘visiting daughters.” We saw how much you cared for your dad. We can still hear him at the Endacott Society announcing what would be read at the drama study with a final “you all come.” May you all be comforted by the memories you have of him.



  10. Bridgette DeSmet on July 28, 2017 at 9:38 am

    Jennifer and Jackie,

    Your father always spoke of you both with such love and pride. I hope you find comfort in loving memories and the knowledge of all the lives he touched.

    Your father was my professor as well as a dear friend. His love of classical music was infectious. I will cherish memories of accompanying him to Chamber Music events in Kansas City as well as watching his theatrical performances (as the most amazing Postman in “Come Back Little Sheba”). He taught me about classical music, tapas, and Spanish. I will never forget sitting with him in Murphy Hall listening to a musician he had seen in London during World War II. He was so excited – like a kid!



  11. Gail and David on July 28, 2017 at 1:30 pm

    Jackie and Jennifer,

    The blessing of caring and being with your dad every day for the past 6 years feels like a family loss for us as well. We know how you cared for your dad and the great support you provided for him even from Europe. You were the two greatest treasures in his life.

    You and your Dad always will be in our hearts.

    Much love,
    Gail and David
    And our At Home, Inc. staff



  12. Liisa Juola on July 29, 2017 at 11:36 am

    Jenny & Jackie-
    I’m so sad to have heard the news. Chris told me about his 100th birthday and I wish I could have been there. I miss you both so much and have such great memories of being at your house. It was always and fun place to be and your dad will be missed.

    I lost my mother 2 years ago. It was very unexpected and my heart goes out to you both. I know how hard it is to lose a parent.

    I hope you see this and that we can keep in touch.
    Much love & big hugs to you both,



  13. Jeannine Buer Vig on March 24, 2018 at 7:17 pm

    I don’t know why I even looked up your family, Jackie and Jenny. I am sorry to hear your dad passed. I was your nanny in 1976. Best wishes to you both! I am amazed your dad lived to be over 100. Congratulations for longevity!



  14. Iris Fischer on March 25, 2018 at 1:10 pm

    I met Arnie through KU’s English Alternative Theatre, which was founded and run for 20 years by Professor Paul Lim. Arnie took several roles in productions and readings and was always tickled to be involved. I didn’t know him well, but he was always a pleasure to talk with about drama, and he contributed greatly to the appreciation of theatre at KU and in Lawrence.



  15. Deb Plunkett on April 21, 2018 at 7:21 pm

    Jackie
    I am so sorry for your loss. You may not remember me…we were friends years ago when you lived in New Orleans and actually met when we were in Ireland. Your father and I spoke several times when you were moving (again, years ago ) and I was sending some of your things to him. He was always very nice and patient with all my questions especially when I asked about you. I know he loved you. I’ve thought of you often all these years. I hope life has been kind. Love, Deb



  16. Carol Langston on October 12, 2018 at 6:28 pm

    Vera was a very kind and caring person. I knew her for many years. RIP Vera



  17. Ardith L Curtis on October 13, 2018 at 1:53 pm

    My condolences to the family who will surely miss her kind and loving presence.
    I worked with Vera for approximately 17 yrs at LMH and will miss her in the random gatherings of retirees, mostly from the old 3rd floor, post – op area of LMH

    Ardith L. Curtis (Ardy)



  18. Barb Giffin on October 15, 2018 at 9:11 am

    I always admired Vera’s calm caring demeanor toward patients, students and fellow workers during the years I worked with her at LMH. My sympathy to her family. She will be missed.



  19. John Towner on October 17, 2018 at 8:37 am

    I Met Vera at the American Legion Thursday July 26 we went on to have a close relationship.What a wonderful lady and we spend the hours and days as much together as possible going wherever we wanted to. The hugs and kisses where important. I wrote a a song about our short 2 and one half months of romance I will never forget her so kind and understanding. What a great LADY!



  20. Steven L. George on October 21, 2018 at 7:01 pm

    I am so sorry for your loss. Please accept my deepest condolences.



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