E. Wayne Nafziger was born in Bloomington, Illinois on August 14, 1938, the son of Orrin Nafziger, a farmer, and Beatrice (Slabaugh) Nafziger, a teacher. He lived in Hopedale, Illinois, where he was active in journalism, sports, and choir. He played varsity basketball during his junior and senior years at Hopedale Community High School, and in 1956, he was valedictorian of his graduating class.
For the next four years, he studied social science and mathematics at Goshen College in Indiana. After a brief stint teaching history and mathematics to high school students, he attended the University of Michigan, graduating with an M.A. in Economics in 1962.
In 1962, he entered a Ph.D. program in Economics at the University of Illinois (Urbana). In 1964, he set off for Nigeria to do field work on the economics of small-scale entrepreneurs in the footwear, tanning, and leather industries. His time in Nigeria instilled in him a lifelong concern with peace-making, poverty alleviation, and social justice.
In December 1965, among Fulani cattle next to the Kaduna River in Nigeria, Wayne proposed to Elfrieda Toews, a music and history teacher with the Mennonite Central Committee’s Teachers Abroad Program. In August of 1966, Elfrieda and Wayne were married in Elfrieda’s home town of Winnipeg, Canada. Almost immediately, the young couple moved to Manhattan, Kansas, which was to be their home together for 41 years. Wayne received his Ph.D. in Economics in 1967 and, until 2015, taught international economics, the economics of Africa and Asia, and comparative economics at Kansas State University.
Over the course of his 47 year career at KSU, Wayne authored 21 books and numerous articles. In 1999, he was named a University Distinguished Professor. He was president of the Faculty Senate, 1990-91; was Chair of the Lou Douglas Lectures on Public Affairs, 1984-91, and was the major professor for 22 completed Ph.D. dissertations.
Wayne and Elfrieda often traveled to Africa, Asia, and Europe. These travels included significant periods of time in India (where Wayne was a Fulbright professor), as well as the East West Center in Honolulu, the University of Cambridge, the International University of Japan, the Carter Center in Georgia, and the United Nations University/World Institute in Finland.
Wayne attributed much of his success to his family: his parents and siblings, Elfrieda, who died in 2007, and his two sons. Brian was born in Manhattan, Kansas in 1968 and is a U.S. State Department Foreign Service officer (married to Piedad Cartagena Delgado). Kevin was born in 1971 in India and is Financial Services Editor for Mergermarket. Wayne is survived by his two sons, a daughter-in-law, and a sister, . His parents and two siblings, Mary Ellen Walson and Lloyd Nafziger, preceded him in death.
A member of the Manhattan Mennonite Church, Wayne also coordinated and taught a seminar class at Manhattan’s First Presbyterian Church from 1970 to 1996. In keeping with his inquiring mind and generous, inclusive spirit, the purpose of the class was to integrate the Christian faith with science and contemporary thought.
Obituary adapted from newspaper obituary.
For the next four years, he studied social science and mathematics at Goshen College in Indiana. After a brief stint teaching history and mathematics to high school students, he attended the University of Michigan, graduating with an M.A. in Economics in 1962.
In 1962, he entered a Ph.D. program in Economics at the University of Illinois (Urbana). In 1964, he set off for Nigeria to do field work on the economics of small-scale entrepreneurs in the footwear, tanning, and leather industries. His time in Nigeria instilled in him a lifelong concern with peace-making, poverty alleviation, and social justice.
In December 1965, among Fulani cattle next to the Kaduna River in Nigeria, Wayne proposed to Elfrieda Toews, a music and history teacher with the Mennonite Central Committee’s Teachers Abroad Program. In August of 1966, Elfrieda and Wayne were married in Elfrieda’s home town of Winnipeg, Canada. Almost immediately, the young couple moved to Manhattan, Kansas, which was to be their home together for 41 years. Wayne received his Ph.D. in Economics in 1967 and, until 2015, taught international economics, the economics of Africa and Asia, and comparative economics at Kansas State University.
Over the course of his 47 year career at KSU, Wayne authored 21 books and numerous articles. In 1999, he was named a University Distinguished Professor. He was president of the Faculty Senate, 1990-91; was Chair of the Lou Douglas Lectures on Public Affairs, 1984-91, and was the major professor for 22 completed Ph.D. dissertations.
Wayne and Elfrieda often traveled to Africa, Asia, and Europe. These travels included significant periods of time in India (where Wayne was a Fulbright professor), as well as the East West Center in Honolulu, the University of Cambridge, the International University of Japan, the Carter Center in Georgia, and the United Nations University/World Institute in Finland.
Wayne attributed much of his success to his family: his parents and siblings, Elfrieda, who died in 2007, and his two sons. Brian was born in Manhattan, Kansas in 1968 and is a U.S. State Department Foreign Service officer (married to Piedad Cartagena Delgado). Kevin was born in 1971 in India and is Financial Services Editor for Mergermarket. Wayne is survived by his two sons, a daughter-in-law, and a sister, . His parents and two siblings, Mary Ellen Walson and Lloyd Nafziger, preceded him in death.
A member of the Manhattan Mennonite Church, Wayne also coordinated and taught a seminar class at Manhattan’s First Presbyterian Church from 1970 to 1996. In keeping with his inquiring mind and generous, inclusive spirit, the purpose of the class was to integrate the Christian faith with science and contemporary thought.
Obituary adapted from newspaper obituary.
E. Wayne Nafziger was born in Bloomington, Illinois on August 14, 1938, the son of Orrin Nafziger, a farmer, and Beatrice (Slabaugh) Nafziger, a teacher. He lived in Hopedale, Illinois, where he was active in journalism, sports, and choir. He played varsity basketball during his junior and senior years at Hopedale Community High School, and in 1956, he was valedictorian of his graduating class.
For the next four years, he studied social science and mathematics at Goshen College in Indiana. After a brief stint teaching history and mathematics to high school students, he attended the University of Michigan, graduating with an M.A. in Economics in 1962.
In 1962, he entered a Ph.D. program in Economics at the University of Illinois (Urbana). In 1964, he set off for Nigeria to do field work on the economics of small-scale entrepreneurs in the footwear, tanning, and leather industries. His time in Nigeria instilled in him a lifelong concern with peace-making, poverty alleviation, and social justice.
In December 1965, among Fulani cattle next to the Kaduna River in Nigeria, Wayne proposed to Elfrieda Toews, a music and history teacher with the Mennonite Central Committee’s Teachers Abroad Program. In August of 1966, Elfrieda and Wayne were married in Elfrieda’s home town of Winnipeg, Canada. Almost immediately, the young couple moved to Manhattan, Kansas, which was to be their home together for 41 years. Wayne received his Ph.D. in Economics in 1967 and, until 2015, taught international economics, the economics of Africa and Asia, and comparative economics at Kansas State University.
Over the course of his 47 year career at KSU, Wayne authored 21 books and numerous articles. In 1999, he was named a University Distinguished Professor. He was president of the Faculty Senate, 1990-91; was Chair of the Lou Douglas Lectures on Public Affairs, 1984-91, and was the major professor for 22 completed Ph.D. dissertations.
Wayne and Elfrieda often traveled to Africa, Asia, and Europe. These travels included significant periods of time in India (where Wayne was a Fulbright professor), as well as the East West Center in Honolulu, the University of Cambridge, the International University of Japan, the Carter Center in Georgia, and the United Nations University/World Institute in Finland.
Wayne attributed much of his success to his family: his parents and siblings, Elfrieda, who died in 2007, and his two sons. Brian was born in Manhattan, Kansas in 1968 and is a U.S. State Department Foreign Service officer (married to Piedad Cartagena Delgado). Kevin was born in 1971 in India and is Financial Services Editor for Mergermarket. Wayne is survived by his two sons, a daughter-in-law, and a sister, . His parents and two siblings, Mary Ellen Walson and Lloyd Nafziger, preceded him in death.
A member of the Manhattan Mennonite Church, Wayne also coordinated and taught a seminar class at Manhattan’s First Presbyterian Church from 1970 to 1996. In keeping with his inquiring mind and generous, inclusive spirit, the purpose of the class was to integrate the Christian faith with science and contemporary thought.
Obituary adapted from newspaper obituary.
For the next four years, he studied social science and mathematics at Goshen College in Indiana. After a brief stint teaching history and mathematics to high school students, he attended the University of Michigan, graduating with an M.A. in Economics in 1962.
In 1962, he entered a Ph.D. program in Economics at the University of Illinois (Urbana). In 1964, he set off for Nigeria to do field work on the economics of small-scale entrepreneurs in the footwear, tanning, and leather industries. His time in Nigeria instilled in him a lifelong concern with peace-making, poverty alleviation, and social justice.
In December 1965, among Fulani cattle next to the Kaduna River in Nigeria, Wayne proposed to Elfrieda Toews, a music and history teacher with the Mennonite Central Committee’s Teachers Abroad Program. In August of 1966, Elfrieda and Wayne were married in Elfrieda’s home town of Winnipeg, Canada. Almost immediately, the young couple moved to Manhattan, Kansas, which was to be their home together for 41 years. Wayne received his Ph.D. in Economics in 1967 and, until 2015, taught international economics, the economics of Africa and Asia, and comparative economics at Kansas State University.
Over the course of his 47 year career at KSU, Wayne authored 21 books and numerous articles. In 1999, he was named a University Distinguished Professor. He was president of the Faculty Senate, 1990-91; was Chair of the Lou Douglas Lectures on Public Affairs, 1984-91, and was the major professor for 22 completed Ph.D. dissertations.
Wayne and Elfrieda often traveled to Africa, Asia, and Europe. These travels included significant periods of time in India (where Wayne was a Fulbright professor), as well as the East West Center in Honolulu, the University of Cambridge, the International University of Japan, the Carter Center in Georgia, and the United Nations University/World Institute in Finland.
Wayne attributed much of his success to his family: his parents and siblings, Elfrieda, who died in 2007, and his two sons. Brian was born in Manhattan, Kansas in 1968 and is a U.S. State Department Foreign Service officer (married to Piedad Cartagena Delgado). Kevin was born in 1971 in India and is Financial Services Editor for Mergermarket. Wayne is survived by his two sons, a daughter-in-law, and a sister, . His parents and two siblings, Mary Ellen Walson and Lloyd Nafziger, preceded him in death.
A member of the Manhattan Mennonite Church, Wayne also coordinated and taught a seminar class at Manhattan’s First Presbyterian Church from 1970 to 1996. In keeping with his inquiring mind and generous, inclusive spirit, the purpose of the class was to integrate the Christian faith with science and contemporary thought.
Obituary adapted from newspaper obituary.
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