Amini, KU benefactor, dies at 81

K.K. Amini, who with his wife, Margaret, donated $2.5 million to KU, died Wednesday at age 81.

“K.K. Amini had a deep love of KU and of Kansas,” said Dale Seuferling, president of the KU Endowment Association. “He particularly identified with students and wanted to help them.”

The Aminis donated $1 million in 1990 for a men’s scholarship hall in the 1300 block of Louisiana Street. They donated an additional $1.5 million in 1998 for a hall for women in the same block.

The halls are now known as K.K. Amini and Margaret Amini, respectively. Each KU scholarship hall allows 50 men or 50 women a reduced room and board rate in exchange for working chore shifts at the hall.

The Aminis also made a major donation to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at KU, but the amount was never disclosed.

K.K. Amini was born in Iran and was KU’s first Iranian student. He graduated from KU in 1949 with a degree in petroleum engineering and had been a resident of Battenfeld Scholarship Hall.

He met his wife while she was a reporter at the University Daily Kansan and was assigned to write a story about Amini’s Iranian background.

Amini formed Amini Oil Co. in 1971 and Sage Energy Co. in 1977. He later was an independent oil operator in San Antonio.

Margaret Amini, of San Antonio, survives her husband.