Paul Warren Hoag

Paul Warren Hoag, 67, Liberal, passed away Feb. 24 in Wichita due to complications from surgery for a brain tumor.

Mr. Hoag was born May 31, 1947, in Beaver, Okla., the son of Warren Burdett Hoag and Minnie Hirn Hoag. Although the family moved frequently due to his father’s military career, he and his mother visited the Hirn Ranch and Liberal throughout his childhood. Both of his parents served in WWII.

Mr. Hoag graduated from Minot Central High School, Minot, N.D., and received a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of philosophy from the University of North Dakota, Fargo, in 1984. He later received a master’s degree from Norwich University in political economy.

His academic honors and awards included a Fellowship from Harvard in Economics, Government Ethics and Transparency, a Goddard Fellowship for Graduate Study, and a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship at the University of California, San Diego, and an Annenberg Fellowship at the Annenberg Foundation, Washington, D.C.

Mr. Hoag continued his academic endeavors throughout his life, with a resume that cataloged more than 80 academic papers and seminars. Mr. Hoag traveled extensively in India, Tibet, Nepal and Afghanistan.

Mr. Hoag started his career at the North Dakota Insurance Commission where he was eventually promoted to Assistant Commissioner and gained a reputation for taking on the large insurance companies. Mr. Hoag was also instrumental in the 1990s in advocating for farmers having access to natural gas pipelines for their farming operations. Mr. Hoag designed economic models and testified on numerous occasions before the Kansas Senate and House Utilities Committees showing how detrimental and negative the effects of local gas utilities and the natural gas pipeline companies’ monopolistic behavior had on the rural Kansas economy. He worked closely with the Southwest Kansas Irrigation Association during this time protecting farmers’ gas supplies.

He was also invited to testify before the Texas Railroad Commission on natural gas legislation that he helped advance in the State of Kansas protecting Kansas farmers. He was owner and manager of Bastrans, Inc., which included The Car Lot. He taught as an adjunct professor at University of North Dakota in Judo and Seward County Community College/Area Technical School in English. He assisted in writing SCCC/ATS’ Title III grant. He taught overseas in Europe, India and Cameroon.

An active member of the Seward County Democrat Party, Mr. Hoag served as a Seward County Commissioner from 1992-1993 and Seward County Clerk from 1993-1995. More recently, he served as chair of the Seward County Planning and Zoning Commission. Mr. Hoag was an Eagle Scout and continued to support Boy Scouts throughout his life. Mr. Hoag also was a member of the First United Methodist Church; the War and Peace Group, Wichita State University; the Southwest Symphony Society; Scientific and Technical Association of Tanzania; Wildlife Preservation Society of India; an editorial board member of “Scientific World,” and a former co-editor of the journal “Research in Political Economy.”

Survivors include a niece, Natalie James (husband Jacob), two great nieces Jenica Belle and Remi James of Denver, Colo.; niece Nancy Hoag of Denver, Colo.; adopted daughter Holly Pery of Rockville, Md., and sister-in-law Ann Marie Thorndal of Fargo, N.D. He was preceded in death by his parents and his younger brother, Ray.

• Mr. Hoag has been cremated and memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 11, at the First United Methodist Church with graveside services at Arkalon Cemetery to follow.

Services are under the direction of his friends.

There will be a Celebration of Mr. Hoag’s life on Tuesday, March 10, from 6 to 9 p.m, at Ruffino’s Italian Restaurant (The Train Depot) at 2 Rock Island Road, Liberal.