Dr. Howard Lee Nies, D.D.S. passed away peacefully June 3, 2026, in Overland Park, KS.
He was born February 6, 1935, and raised on a family farm in Turon, Kansas, the younger sibling of his late sister Ruth and his parents David and Emma Olga (Reiner) Nies.
Howard attended Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska imprinting a life long love of University of Nebraska football especially with his daughter, Alison.
The U.S. Army draft then placed him at Ft Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, for his tour of duty which trained him as a dental assistant where the head of dental services continued thereafter to recommend him to become a dentist.
Further required pre dental college courses at the University of Nebraska at Omaha at which he excelled were followed by application and acceptance, among others, to the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Dentistry from which he graduated in 1964 alongside his to-be-brother-in-law Jay Nelson, D.D.S., in 1965 when he married Jay's sister Kay.
Two children: Alison Kay DeRosier (Donny), Parker, CO, (which later gave him 3 much loved grandchildren, Drue, Evelyn, and Nicholas DeRosier) and Aaron David Nies, Orlando, FL, came in 1971 and 1974. After a divorce in 1991, he married Judy McCarty in 1999 until she passed in 2022.
Initially out of dental school. Howard joined dental practice in Osawatomie, KS, with Dr. Warren Harville and commuted there part-time for six years to help pay for dental equipment even after starting his own practice in 1965.
As a dentist, his ethics demanded no over treatment ever, and his dental gentle demeanor was welcomed by his patients. He was a man of few words and those he spoke were so gentle and kind
His avocation for years was running including running marathons in New York, Lincoln and Boston, and most any other one he could work in and organizing races for runners including the introduction of computer results tracking for Mid America Masters running organization for which he was honored by fellow running comrades.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the KCKCC Foundation, Howard Nies Memorial, 7250 State Ave, Suite 3500, Kansas City, KS 66112. For questions contact Danielle Whitfield 913.288.7306.
