A. Wayne Wiens

A. Wayne Wiens, Emeritus Professor of Biology at Bethel College, passed away unexpectedly Feb. 6, 2014.

Born Oct. 31, 1936, he graduated from Hillsboro High School, completed a natural science major at Bethel College, a zoology masters at Kansas State University, and a Ph.D in biochemistry and cell biology at Northwestern University. A consummate teacher, Wayne began his career at the University of Kansas as a teaching assistant and retired from Bethel College in 2010.

He loved gardening, his pets, reading, sailing, travel, crafting wooden toys, and working with Habitat for Humanity. He especially enjoyed cutting hedge wood for the stove with his dear friend Charles Graber, and working on the MCC Meat Canning Project with friend and colleague Hugo Boschmann.

Wayne is survived by his wife Gail Lutsch of Newton, Kan.; daughter, Amy of Columbus, Ohio; son, Eric (Susan Neufeld) of El Cerrito, Calif.; brothers, Wendell Wiens of Newton, Kan., Paul Wiens (Dolores) of St. George, Utah; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was at 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, in Krehbiel Auditorium, Fine Arts Center, Bethel College, with a gathering to follow in Krehbiel Science Center atrium.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the A. Wayne Wiens Biology Scholarship Endowment Fund at Bethel College, Habitat for Humanity, or the MCC Meat Canning Project, care of Bethel College Mennonite Church.