Wilbur Lee Nahrgang, 86, Denton, Professor Emeritus of German language and literature who taught at UNT for 40 years, died Sept. 29, 2025.

Born into a German-speaking household of farm workers in Texas, he was encouraged to focus on academics. He graduated from North Side High School in Fort Worth at age 16 and received a scholarship to study physics at Texas Christian University, but he switched his major to German and psychology, graduating with a B.A. He then accepted a National Defense Education Act Fellowship at Kansas University where he graduated with an M.A. and then a Ph.D. in German in 1966, before moving to Denton and joining the North Texas faculty in 1967.

At UNT, he analyzed German novels of World War II and the works of German writer and 1972 Nobel Prize winner Heinrich Böll. He sponsored the German Club, organized German heritage seminars and translated for German visitors to campus. He also was named an Honors Professor by the Student Government Association.

In the spring of 1975, he created an intensive German language course as a pilot program, combining the four basic language courses into one course that met three hours a day, five days a week. It later moved to the summers and he taught the course throughout his time at UNT, calling it the best experience he had due to the bonds formed with the students.

He was known for his acts of kindness, such as picking up his neighbors’ newspapers for them, and frugality, including riding his bike to work and bringing his lunch with him every day in the same paper bag. In retirement, he was a frequent contributor to the op-ed section of the Denton Record-Chronicle, walked for fitness and fellowship with his walking buddies, took care of his cat, Calico, and loved visiting with his daughters.