Torrence, Elon

Elon Torrence (1917-2015) attended Baker University at Baldwin, Kansas, and graduated from the William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas. While at KU he wrote for the University Daily Kansan. He was a diehard Jayhawk fan and the highlight of his time at KU was interviewing “Phog” Allen.

Elon served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and began his career at the Garden City (Kansas) Telegram. He was an Associated Press newsman at the Kansas Statehouse from 1946 to early 1982. He also served on the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission for 16 years, beginning in 1994.

Elon and his wife Polly were married 70 years and had five children. They died two days apart in 2015.