Lawrence Wagner Kenny
July 28, 2018
Lawrence Wagner (Larry) Kenny of Gainesville passed away on Saturday, July 28th after a long illness. Larry was the son of the late Margaret and William Kenny. He is survived by his wife of 48 years Christine Kenny and by his sister Genie (Jeffrey) Kline of Tomball, Texas. He is also survived by his sister in law Joanne Nitz of Baltimore, Maryland, niece Jennifer (Peter) Haubein, Ethan, David of Tomball, Texas and by niece Katherine Bold, great nieces and nephews Alex, Kaitlynn, Emmalee Beatty and Annabelle, Aidan and Caleb Bold. Also surviving Larry are his cousins Carl (Sheila) Litsinger, Glenn (Beverly) Litsinger and Stephen (Marcia) Litsinger. At the time of Larry's death, he was a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Economics at the University of Florida. Throughout his career, Larry was a distinguished scholar, teacher, mentor and administrator, and a faithful and admirable friend and colleague. Born in 1950 in Baltimore Maryland, Larry graduated from Gilman School in 1968. He received his undergraduate degree in Economics from Wesleyan University in 1972 and his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago in 1977. Larry's research centered on education and the workings of government ranging widely from the behavior of voters to the effects of tax policies. In addition to over 50 publications, Larry's scholarly contributions included serving as the President of the Public Choice Society and serving as a referee for roughly 50 different economics journals. At the University of Florida, Larry served as the graduate coordinator and twice served as chair of the Department of Economics. He was awarded college-wide and campus-wide teaching awards as well as nurturing the Senior Honors Seminar whose students have gone on to productive positions all over the country. Throughout his life Larry dealt with a modest speech impediment. For a less resolute and confident soul, this might have been taken as a signal to pursue a career other than teaching. To Larry it was only an obstacle to overcome. That he won numerous teaching awards is evidence of his success in overcoming such obstacles. A lifelong friend noted that Larry was regarded as "the epitome of the gentleman scholar". As an inveterate beach lover, he never lost his joy for the surf and the challenge of body surfing a good wave. Memorial donations may be made to “Economics Fund in memory of Larry Kenny”, UF Foundation, 2008 Turlington Hall, PO Box 117300, Gainesville, FL 32611. Please visit http://www.crevassesimplecremation.com/obituary/lawrence-kenny to sign the Guest Book.
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I am so deeply sorry to learn of Larry’s passing. Larry was one of the true greats — a deeply caring, thoughtful person who touched the lives of so very many. With love, David
I am sorry to hear of Larry’s passing away. He was a friend and mentor when I was starting out my career at the University of Florida. His papers were filled with economic content and were an inspiration to a new assistant professor. Christine and Larry also helped my wife and me adjust to life in Gainesville — we have fond memories of eating out with them at local restaurants.
Larry was a kind and compassionate man, a brilliant economist, well-respected in his field, a beloved professor at the university and a cherished mentor to hundreds of grad students. For many years, he had suffered from the ravages of Lewy Body Disease, yet, he managed to teach until just two years ago. Larry, I am happy you are free from your pain and suffering. If there is an afterlife, I hope you’re hanging out with your old mentor, Milton Friedman, chatting about supply-side economics, sailing on your catamaran and eating lots of sweets. Thank you for loving my sister, and embracing her wildly dysfunctional family. Thank you for all you did for Bernie, me and Anita throughout the years. It was a honor to have known you. Rest well, my friend, we miss you more than words can express. But our lives continue – a brilliant coalescence of letting go and holding on. Maybe a little more holding on than letting go…
Larry was a great coauthor and friend! He befriended me when I was a new scholar at a small university who didn’t know many people, he pushed me when he knew I could work harder, was patient with me when I put things aside and got distracted, and most of all helped me see new insights from my work that I did not recognize without his aid. I enjoyed working with him on our joint papers and then seeing each other at meetings in the years later. The work we did together helped me get better jobs and to move up in my career, I do not think it would have happened without his assistance. But he was also fun to be around, I especially remember going to Water World in Orlando!
Larry was a first-class economist and a wonderful person. I will miss talking with him at meetings and seeing his work.
So sorry for Larry’s passing at such a young age. His suffering is over now and he can Rest In Peace. A kind and intelligent man who gave a lot to the profession he loved and will be remembered with fondness and respect by all those whose lives he touched.
Please accept my sympathies for your loss. Larry was always very kind to me and we shared many St. George Island stories. His gentle calmness will be missed.
I’m sorry to hear about Larry’s passing. I was a PhD student of his at UF and he was both a good teacher/mentor and a good person. I’m glad to have know him.
Dear Larry, You were such an important and dear friend. Since we met you in the seventies, we admired your brilliant mind, your mild and elegant demeanor and your sophisticated sense of humor. Though we have not been in touch for quite a while, we have never stopped appreciating the many ways in which your friendship has been a gift to us. Rest in peace dear friend.
I had the fortune of taking a class with Larry while getting my PhD and then working with him at UF. It is hard to add something new to the chorus of nice things that have already been said. Larry was kind, insightful, and funny. I am lucky to have gotten to know him. He is and will continue to be missed.
Larry was one of the faculty members who inspired me to become a better teacher. Every time I walked by his office door, he was helping students. I am sure his Senior Seminar students required a lot of time-consuming one-on-one tutoring, but they wrote a number of truly excellent undergraduate theses. He was a great friend as well. He will be missed.
Sad to find out that my professor at University of Florida, Larry Kenny, who taught me Labour Economics, and under whom I worked both as a TA and an RA (1989-91), died a couple of years back, at the young age of 68 years. He was very warm, affectionate and friendly towards me and I will always remember him fondly. RIP, Larry. Condolences to his family members.
Dr. Kenny was a great professor and mentor to me during my economic studies at the University of Florida in the late 1980s. He was brilliant and well spoken. I don't believe that I have ever been in the presence of a smarter, more eloquent, man. His understanding of economics was intimidating, but he was not. I am sad to hear about his passing. Sadder still that I just learned about his passing through Google. I became a lawyer instead of an economist. When I spoke to him during law school he mentioned that the field of economics often loses followers to the law. He is right (naturally). I never met his family that I can recall. I chuckled to hear that he was known by friends and family as "Larry." To me he will always be Dr. Kenny.