G. Willhite Obituary

Memorial services for Glen Paul Willhite, 85, Lawrence, KS will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, December 22, 2022, at Central United Methodist Church in Lawrence. Paul passed away on Thursday, December 15, 2022, at LMH Health.

Paul was born on July 18, 1937, in Waterloo, Iowa, the son of Glen Jesse and Arietta Delilah (Friedley) Willhite. He graduated from East Waterloo High School in 1955. In 1959 he graduated from Iowa State College with a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering. He married Jewell Fox on May 31, 1959 in West Des Moines, Iowa and she survives at home. Paul received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Northwestern University in 1962.

Paul worked for Continental Oil Company in Ponca City, Oklahoma from 1962 to 1969. He was the scoutmaster for the Boy Scout troop at the American Legion Home. He also participated in Scouting in Lawrence and received the Silver Beaver Award.

In 1969 he joined the faculty of the University of Kansas. During his time at KU he authored two textbooks, co-chaired the Tertiary Oil Recovery Project and became a Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering. He retired after fifty years in 2019.

During his long career he received many honors including: Induction into the National Academy of Engineering in 2006; an Honorary Member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers; a member of the Iowa State University Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering Alumni Hall of Fame and many others.

Paul was an active member of Centenary United Methodist Church, where he served as a trustee. He was a member of a habitat committee and was a volunteer tax preparer for senior citizens through AARP. He spent many years serving with the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology as part of accreditation visits to petroleum engineering departments at major universities around the world.

Other survivors include his children, Elizabeth (Phil) Wilhelm, Mark (Shanna) Willhite, Ben Willhite, Sara (Robert) Lasher, Rachel Lechtenberg, brother, Brian (Janis) Willhite, sister, Karen (Dick) Stahlhut, fourteen grandchildren, Coty, Katie, Maria, Alyssa, Jason, John, Mary, David, Emily, Shyanne, Linc, Erica, Finnigan, Ford and seven great-grandchildren. Paul was preceded in death by his parents.

The family suggests memorials in Paul's name to the Lawrence Habitat for Humanity and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.

For more information or to post a condolence go to warrenmcelwain.com.