Leniel H. “Len” Harbers

Leniel H. “Len” Harbers, age 81, of Manhattan, Kan., died Monday, April 18, 2016, at the Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan. He was born on Nov. 11, 1934, in La Grange, the son of Henry B. and Helen (Krueger) Harbers. Len was raised in La- Grange where he attended local schools, graduating from La- Grange High School. Following his high school graduation he attended Texas A&M College where he earned his B.S. in Animal Science in 1957 and his M.S. in Biochemistry and Nutrition in 1958. During the summer of 1958, he was a graduate student intern with Chas. Pfizer and Company. He then attended Oklahoma State University, where he earned his Ph.D in Animal Nutrition in 1961. From 1961 until 1963 he did postdoctoral work in nutritional pharmacology at the University of Chicago and from 1963 to 1964 was an Associate Chemist with the Physical Chemistry Section for the American Meat Institute Foundation in Chicago. From 1966 until 1968, he was Head of Section and Associate Professor of Animal Science, KSU/AID project at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Dr. Harbers was a professor with the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University from 1964 until his retirement. Beginning In 1984 he joined the Food Science Graduate Faculty as a Professor and in 1990 the Food Science Undergraduate Faculty in addition to serving as Chairman of the Food Science Graduate Program. From February 1988 until July 1989 he served as the temporary Assistant Dean for the Graduate School. He served on numerous academic committees including being a former member of the American Society of Animal Science, American Institute of Nutrition, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Kansas City Institute of Food Technologists (Chairman 1991-92), Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi, Gamma Sigma Delta, Partners of the Americas, and Phi Tau Sigma. He also published numerous refereed scientific journal articles during his career. Dr. Harbers participated in numerous foreign assignments which included serving as the Head of the Animal Husbandry Section, Shika Research Station (1966-68), serving on the Administrative Committee at the Institute for Agricultural Research (1966-68) and the Research Committee, Institute for Agricultural Research (1966- 68), all at Ahmadu Bellow University, Nigeria. He also served the United Nations as an Animal Nutrition Planning Consultant in Bulgaria (summer, 1975) and was Chairman of the Animal Science Grant Committee, Ahmadu Bellow and Sokoto Universities, Nigeria (summer, 1984). Dr. Harbers was very active with the Kansas-Paraguay Agricultural Planning Conference, Paraguay (Summer,1984; Fall,1985). He had served as Vice-President, President-Elect and President of the Kansas- Paraguay Partnership. Outside of his professional career he was a member of the Kansas City BBQ Society and a 70 year member of the Sons of Hermann in La Grange. In recent years he had attended church at the First United Methodist Church in Manhattan. On Oct. 13, 1978, he was united in marriage to the former Carole Ann Zimmerman. She survives at their home. Also surviving are two daughters: Julia Harbers-Browning, Scottsdale, Arizona; Sarah Harbers, La Grange; and a granddaughter Sadie Jane Pierson of Phoenix, Ariz. He was preceded in death by his parents and by one daughter: Jennifer Jane Harbers. Cremation has taken place. Memorial services are being planned in both La Grange and in Manhattan. Those dates and times will be announced at a later date. On-line condolences may be left for the family through the funeral home website located at www.ymlfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for the Flint Hills Breadbasket in Manhattan and for the Prairie Valley Cemetery Association in West Point, Texas. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen- Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502. Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home in Manhattan, Kan. is in charge of arrangements.