Leon Epstein, a retired University of Wisconsin political scientist who was an expert on political parties and politics, died Tuesday after a fall at his home on Madison’s west side, University of Wisconsin-Madison officials said today. He was 86.
Epstein taught in the Political Science department from 1948 to 1988, reaching full professorship in 1954. He served as chairman of the department from 1960-63 and was dean of the College of Letters and Science from 1965 to 1969.