Perry G. McCandless

Perry G McCandless, formerly of Warrensburg, MO, died on July 22, 2021 in Kansas City, MO. He was born on December 9, 1917, in Lincoln, MO. On July 5, 1947, he married Opal (Bea) A. Braland in Ames, IA.

A graduate of Central Missouri State Teachers College (now the University of Central Missouri), McCandless earned a master’s degree at Southern Methodist University and a Ph.D. at the University of Missouri-Columbia. From 1948 to 1982, he taught American and Missouri history at Central Missouri State University (now the University of Central Missouri), where he held the rank of Professor of History. After his retirement, McCandless continued to be active as a writer and consultant in his field. His book, A History of Missouri: 1820-1860, won the Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History. Missouri: Then and Now, co-authored with William E. Foley, has been a widely-used fourth-grade textbook for the past three decades. The State Historical Society of Missouri honored McCandless in 2001 with its Distinguished Service Award, and published his “A Half-Century of Missouri History: A Memoir” in April of 2008.

During World War II, McCandless served more than four years in the United States Army Air Forces. That service included thirty months in the China-Burma-India theater of operations.

Perry is survived by his children, Richard (Lisa) of Washington, DC, and Anne McManus of Kansas City, and two grandchildren, Eugene Perry and Elizabeth Anne McManus. Perry was preceded in death by his wife, Bea, in 2002.

In accordance with the wishes of the deceased, there will be no memorial service. Expressions of condolence may take the form of a memorial contribution to the Trails Regional Library Foundation - Warrensburg Branch, 432 N Holden, Warrensburg, MO, 64093.