Delwyn “Del” Lynn Harnisch, 66, of Lincoln, professor of teaching, learning and teacher education, passed away May 18.
Harnisch was born in Fremont, Nebraska, on Dec. 15, 1949, to Fritz and Orlinda Harnisch. He graduated from Snyder High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from Concordia University’s Teachers College. He then went to Hong Kong to become the science department chair at the Hong Kong International School from1971-1975. After returning to the United States, Harnish received a Masters of Education in 1977 and doctorate in 1981 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Harnisch married his wife, Patricia, in July 1973. They had four children together.
In 2000, Harnisch joined the faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He served as a professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education at the College of Education and Human Sciences. He was a co-director of the UNL Assessment and Leadership for Learning professional development program for Nebraska superintendents and principals. More recently, Harnisch was affiliated with the Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program that provided opportunities to develop the expertise of outstanding secondary school teachers from around the globe.
Harnisch also served as an external program evaluator on several sponsored projects at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His 40 years of teaching and research experience was focused on integration of technology into the teaching and learning process. He had authored more than 150 research articles, five books and secured more than $30 million in grants and contracts. He had received numerous national and international honors for his research programs and writings. He was also awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for 2011-2012 and spent his time in Tbilisi at the University of Georgia.
Harnisch represented the College of Education and Human Sciences department well throughout Nebraska, where he was one of the leaders of the prominent Nebraska Assessment Cohort. He also had extensive experience in international education including several appointments as a visiting scholar in Japan and Hong Kong, and a keynote address in Turkey.
Harnisch is survived by his wife Pat; son, Harlan and his wife Amy of Lincoln; daughter, Heather and her husband Jerrod Witzel of Farley, Iowa; daughter, Heidi and her husband Ryan Means of Lincoln; and son Hans, and his wife Melissa of Lincoln. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, three brothers (Gerald and his wife Lynette, Larry and his wife Vicki, and Burdell and his wife Diana) as well as many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. Harnisch is preceded in death by his parents Fritz and Orlinda and his sister-in-law Lola Harnisch.
The funeral service is at 10 a.m. May 23 at Messiah Lutheran Church, 1800 S. 84th St. Visitation is May 22 with family greeting friends from 4 to 6 p.m. at Roper and Sons Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska at 124 South 24th St. Suite 230 Omaha, NE 68102.
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