OMAHA- David Karnes passed away Sunday after a months long battle with cancer at age 71. Karnes, who is most well known for his brief stint in the U.S. Senate, carved out a much more important legacy in Omaha as a man deeply involved in the city's civic, legal and charitable communities.

Governor Kay Orr made a surprise appointment of Karnes, a relatively political unknown at the time, to the Senate in 1987. He had not served in any public office at that point. He was then defeated by Bob Kerrey when up for his first election cycle. He had a long career as an attorney in both Omaha and Washington with the Kutak Rock law firm. He was most recently a member on the Omaha Airport Authority Board. He founded Liz's Legacy, a charity that raises money for cancer research in honor of his first wife who died of cancer in 2003.

Although many will remember him as a member of the Senate, those who know him will remember him as a family man that always looked out for the interest of others. George W. Bush publicly encouraged Karnes to run for the Senate again in 2006, but he did not serve any more time in public office.

He was on the founding board of the Omaha Children's Museum and served on many other charitable boards all over Omaha. In 2012, he was honored with the Distinguished Nebraskalander Award.

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