Dr. L Kevin McNelis of Las Cruces, NM was born on October 13, 1957 in Tulsa, OK, to Les and Jeanne McNelis. After earning his Ph.D. at the University of Texas at Arlington, he moved to Las Cruces, where he was a beloved professer at NMSU for 20 years. He passed unexpectedly on Saturday, May 27th, 2017.As a self-titled "gentleman farmer," he could be found on any given weekend tending to his hobby farm, caring for his horses, chickens, bees, and garden. He was a skilled carpenter and cook, and loved to feed a crowd. Among an astounding range of other hobbies, he also loved baseball and British cars. As an amateur HAM radio operator and weather spotter, he volunteered for numerous events in the community. He maintained a weather reporting station that informed the National Weather Service of local conditions in Doña Ana. His dedication to the safety and happiness of others extended to his final moments, as his last thoughts were of protecting his family. Kevin is survived by his wife, Lisa; his son, Britton; his daughter, Megan; his mother, Jeanne; his brothers, Sean and Darren, and his cat, Ramsay. A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 2nd, at 6:00p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church on 2000 South Solano Dr. in Las Cruces. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the KRWG radio station, of which he was a long-time supporter, listener, and donor.