Ellis Wayne Hawley

Ellis Wayne Hawley passed away Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at the age of 91. He was a resident of Atria Senior Living in Longmont, CO. He was a longtime resident of Iowa City, Iowa where he was a retired history professor achieving the title of Professor Emeritus.

The title of Professor Emeritus is awarded to retired Professors who have made an exceptional contribution in academic leadership terms, including dedicated achievement to his or her field of study. His special scholarly interest has been the history of American economic institutions and business-government relations during the period from 1915 to 1940. Professor Hawley’s publications include The New Deal and the Problem of Monopoly, The Great War and the Search for a Modern Order, 1917-1933, and (with others) Herbert Hoover and the Crisis of American Capitalism. He was historical consultant for Public Papers of the Presidents: Herbert Hoover (four volumes) and has published numerous articles, essays, and reviews in scholarly journals.

The Ellis W. Hawley Prize was created in his honor. It is an annual book award by the Organization of American Historians for the best historical study of the political economy, politics, or institutions of the United States, in its domestic or international affairs, from the American Civil War to the present. The prize honors Ellis W. Hawley, Emeritus Professor of History, University of Iowa, for his outstanding work in these subjects.

Ellis was the son of Gladys Laura (Logsdon) Hawley and Pearl Washington Hawley of Cambridge, KS. He attended public school in Cambridge, received his B.A from Wichita University, M.A. from the University of Kansas, and PhD from the University of Wisconsin. He taught at North Texas State University, Ohio State University and the University of Iowa retiring in 1994.

Serving in the army, from 1951-1953, Ellis rose to the rank of first lieutenant. While deployed in Germany, he met and married Sofia Koltun on September 2, 1953. They were married 49 years until Sofia’s passing in 2002.

Ellis was preceded in death by his wife Sofia, son Arnold Jay, step-daughter Christine Josephine, brother Carl of Cambridge, KS, brother-in-law Dean Keplinger of Grenola, KS, and his parents.

Ellis is survived by his daughter Agnes and her husband Timothy, his sister Dorothy of Grenola, KS, his brother Raymond and wife Phyllis of Coffeyville, KS, his sister-in-law Joan of Cambridge, KS, six grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.

A visitation is scheduled at Miles Funeral Service in Winfield, KS from 2 to 6 P.M. Sunday, September 20th.