Category: Obituaries

MADISON – For a dozen years, Bill lived with colon cancer. He lived with strength, grit, humor, happiness, gratitude and, when called for, surrender. He died on April 21, 2012, in deep peace, curious about and ready to explore what came next. He was 59. Bill especially enjoyed his positions as Department Chair and Associate Dean of Graduate Education and Research in the School of Human Ecology. He dedicated himself to the common good, helping people realize their dreams, and transforming the academic community into a place of compassion. He reluctantly retired due to health in 2009.

MADISON – Ed Beers, a spiritual guide to many, preacher of the Gospel, intercessor and embracer of humanity, died Monday, April 16, 2012, at the age of 86. He served as a campus minister at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison for 26 years. He marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama during the civil rights movement and counseled students opposed to the Vietnam war.

MADISON – Dr. Thomas Hartman Steele, Emeritus Professor of Nephrology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, died April 24, 2012, at home, surrounded by his family. He was 75. In 1970, Dr. Steele joined the faculty at UW-Madison where he served as a professor of medicine, attending physician and associate director of the university?s Department of Medicine Metabolic Unit.

SUN PRAIRIE – Agnes (Trzebiatowski) Dushack, age 59, passed away on Monday, April 23, 2012, at Agrace HospiceCare Inc. in Fitchburg surrounded by her family. Agnes worked for UW Extension and for ICE and was awarded for Excellence at her job.

MILWAUKEE – David E. Beckwith, a prominent Milwaukee attorney, former president of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, and community leader, died Saturday, April 14, 2012, in hospice at Saint John?s on The Lake. He was 84. Mr. Beckwith was educated at the University of Wisconsin-Madison graduating with degrees in labor economics B.S. and an LL.B. from the law school. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and Order of Coif, and leading articles editor of the Wisconsin Law Review.

MADISON – Richard Houden died peacefully on Thursday, April 19, 2012, surrounded by his family. As a sprinter, he had a magical year in 1947 when he set records for the Badgers, and was invited by an elite AAU track team to compete across Europe. Because of his accomplishments that year, he was later inducted into the UW Athletic Hall of Fame in September 2010?a true highlight of his life.

MIDDLETON – Gloria J. Myer, age 74, of Middleton, passed away on Friday, April 6, 2012, at UW Hospital in Madison. Gloria worked as a nurse and nursing supervisor for many years at the UW Hospital.

Paul S. Boyer, an intellectual historian who wrote groundbreaking studies of the Salem witch trials, the history of apocalyptic movements and the response of the American public to the nuclear annihilation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, died on March 17 in Madison, Wis. He was 76.

Joshua Lowe Posner, a professor of agronomy at the University of Wisconsin and an international agricultural expert, died in his home April 3, 2012, of Hodgkin?s Lymphoma, a disease he battled for two years. He was 64. Josh was hired by the UW in 1986 to participate in a research project in Banjul, Gambia and arrived in Madison in 1988. His pioneering work on the Wisconsin Integrated Cropping Systems trial is a 20-year research trial, one of his most important domestic legacies. The research has involved many of his students and colleagues, on and off campus and has examined a large number of issues related to low input (organic) agriculture in the Midwest. His most recent international work was as the principal investigator of a National Science Foundation training grant to support University of Wisconsin graduate students to learn Chinese and conduct their dissertations in Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods in Yunnan Province.

James E. Kuntz passed away April 4 at Oakwood Village-West in Madison. He earned a doctorate in plant pathology at the UW in 1945. He developed the Wisconsin 55, a tomato variety which is still marketed while a plant breeder for the Wisconsin Seed Company in Racine. In 1947, he returned to the university with a joint appointment in plant pathology and forestry. As an associate professor, his department sent him to observe and study forestry schools and field stations in Western Europe. He was a professor for 40 years and was known for his enthusiastic and vivacious approach to working on disease projects with his numerous graduate and doctoral students. Together, they discovered the causes of oak wilt, butternut canker, maple and walnut die-back, poplar canker, and other forest and shade tree diseases.

Paul S. Boyer, an intellectual historian who wrote groundbreaking studies of the Salem witch trials, the history of apocalyptic movements and the response of the American public to the nuclear annihilation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, died on March 17 in Madison, Wis. He was 78.

MADISON – Dr. Richard J. Thurrell, age 83, passed away on Saturday, March 24, 2012. Richard deeply appreciated his time as head of the UW Psychiatric Department Residency program both as a teacher and colleague; he had great respect for his many students and professional partners. During his career as a psychiatrist he was involved in the treatment of the mentally ill and incarcerated.

Roger Carl Molander was born on Nov. 20, 1940, in Perham, Minn., and grew up in Marinette, Wis. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with a degree in mechanical engineering and earned a doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley.

MADISON – Roslyn Kopelberg (nee Lassen), age 85, passed away after a prolonged illness on Monday, March 26, 2012, at Agrace Hospice in Fitchburg. Roz had a beloved career as an administrative secretary for plastic surgery at UW Hospital for more than 30 years and was an integral part of the department even long after her retirement.

MADISON – Paul Samuel Boyer of Madison departed this life on March 17, 2012, at Agrace HospiceCare, following a three-month bout with cancer. In 1980, Paul was called to teach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where, as a member of the history faculty, he held the Merle Curti Chair in American History. In the 1990s he served as director of the UW Institute for the Humanities. A celebration of Paul?s life will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 27, 2012, at the First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Drive, Madison.

A University of Wisconsin-Madison anthropology professor who fearlessly studied the dark side of humanity – even when it endangered his life – will be remembered during a memorial service Wednesday for his willingness to explore taboo, his love of intellectual back-and-forth, and the admiration and affection he inspired among colleagues and students.

MADISON – Neil L. Whitehead passed away peacefully surrounded by family, early morning, Thursday, March 22, 2012. In 1993 Neil accepted a post at the University of Wisconsin in the Department of Anthropology. A brilliant scholar, he was well known for his significant contributions to Amazonian anthropology, historical anthropology and shamanism, as well as his pioneering work in the study of violence.

MADISON – Paul Samuel Boyer of Madison departed this life on March 17, 2012, at Agrace HospiceCare, following a three-month bout with cancer. In 1980, Paul was called to teach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where, as a member of the history faculty, he held the Merle Curti Chair in American History. In the 1990s he served as director of the UW Institute for the Humanities. Following his retirement he became a series editor at UW Press, and a co-author for several college textbooks.

Neil Whitehead, a long-time faculty member and chairman of the UW-Madison Department of Anthropology since 2009, died Thursday in Madison following an illness. Known for his study of the human propensity for violence, Whitehead focused much of his work on the Amazon basin and the Caribbean and, more recently, on U.S. involvement in war and terrorism.

STOUGHTON – Sheldon E. ?Shel? Lueck, aged 62, of Stoughton, bravely left this life on Tuesday March 20, 2012, after a lengthy battle with cancer in his Stoughton home in the arms of his loved ones. After leaving military service, Shel found a career in medical technology at UW Hospital in Madison, where he worked from 1989 to the present.

MADISON – Domenico Sella passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 8, 2012, at his home with family by his side. He taught history courses at various Italian universities before moving to Madison in 1960 to join the University of Wisconsin History Department, where he taught courses on the history of early modern Europe for 35 years.

STOUGHTON – Gilbert ?Gib? Schmolesky, age 87, passed away on Friday, March 9, 2012, in Stoughton. He worked as an entomologist for the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) for more than 25 years.

MADISON – Allen V. Worth, age 91, died on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, at his home. In 1955 Allen joined the UW as an electrician. In his 30 year career he was the primary electrician for the Athletic Department, overseeing the events at the Field House, stadium and around campus.

MONONA – Phyllis Ruth (Pinkerton) Pratt, age 86, of Queens Village, New York, and formerly of Madison, passed away on Tuesday, March 6, 2012, at the Heritage Monona Senior Assisted Living Campus after a short stay. She graduated from UW-Madison, where she majored in music and piano. She started her career by doing research work for the UW School of Music by writing down the music tunes which were known throughout Wisconsin, and also playing piano in the traveling all-girls dance band, lead by Peggy King.

David Wallin, age 61, of Belleville, passed away on Friday, March 2, 2012, at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison. In 1974, David started work at the University of Wisconsin Physical Plant, where he was a motor vehicle operator for Campus Services until retiring in January of 2008.

MADISON – Paul Clark Schroeder, age 76, of Madison, passed away on Saturday, March 3, 2012, at UW Hospital in Madison. Paul worked for the UW-Madison, as an Information Technology Manager for 35 years.

JANESVILLE – Roger Axtell, age 80, of Janesville, died unexpectedly on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, while wintering in Scottsdale, Ariz. Governor Thompson appointed Roger to the UW Board of Regents in 1999-2006. After that time, he was appointed to the Board of the UW Hospital – serving on that board until his death.

A prominent Madison attorney, UW alumnus and World War II veteran passed away Feb. 21, and his family, friends and associates will convene to celebrate his memory at a memorial service this weekend.

The memorial service for New York Times journalist and Oklahoma native Anthony Shadid will be streamed live Saturday.

Noted: Thompson appointed Axtell to the UW Board of Regents in 1999, a post Axtell held until 2006. Axtell became the regents? representative to the UW Hospital and Clinics Authority Board, serving on that board until his death.

MADISON – Jack Richard DeWitt, sometimes called ?Dick,? passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012. He was born Dec. 15, 1918, in Muskego, Okla. The family relocated to Wisconsin at age 13 or 14. He graduated from Lancaster High School and from the UW-Madison with a B.A. in Economics and an L.L.B. (law). He practiced law and then became a faculty member of the UW School of Law. He was an author of the original ?Wisconsin Practice Methods? book and was instrumental in establishing the Legal Practice course. He received the Distinguished Service Award of the UW Law Alumni Association.

Dean Elwood Jensen passed away Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012, at age 82. Dean was a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for 38 years until his retirement in 1995. He served as secretary for ASME Chapter at the UW and was a member of the City of Madison Heating Board of Examiners.

Sharon L. Langdok, 72, of Belleville peacefully took her last breath surrounded by her family on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, at Agrace HospiceCare Center in Fitchburg, following a long struggle with Parkinson?s disease. Sharon worked and retired from food service at the University of Wisconsin Gordon Commons after more than twenty years.

Ive only met Anthony Shadid once. But I feel like Ive known him forever. Thats due, I believe, to our shared passion for two of lifes crown jewels, the University of Wisconsin and the country of Lebanon.

MIDDLETON – Howard E. Zimmerman, age 85, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012. He was an emeritus professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he began teaching in 1960. Professor Zimmerman’s many former colleagues and students recently honored him with a symposium at the UW. He was a much respected and treasured mentor.

Norton D. Zinder, a researcher who helped lay the basis for the new field of molecular biology in the 1950s and ?60s and who played a crucial role in the politics of decoding the human genome, died on Friday in a nursing home in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. He was 83. He received his doctorate at UW-Madison.

MADISON – Marlyn Gail Agnew (McAweeney), age 75, of Madison, passed away gracefully, surrounded by her children on Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, at Sebring Assisted Living in Madison. She received a master of fine arts degree from UW-Madison in 1983. She pursued a career as a portrait artist with many of her pieces in private collections, museums and academic institutions. Marlyn shared her passion for art through teaching life drawing at UW-Madison for several years.

Violet L. Morehouse, age 90, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012.

MAZOMANIE – John Joseph Denu passed away quietly at his home under the care of Hospice Care, surrounded by his wife and children, on Saturday, Jan. 28. John lived 77 years. He was employed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he had worked as an animal lab technician for 33 years.

Maurice Meisner passed away at his home in Madison on Monday, Jan. 23. Mauri began his long academic career in the field of Chinese history at the University of Virginia where he taught for five years in the mid-1960s. In 1968 he moved to the History Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed his career there as the Harvey Goldberg Professor of History. For over four decades, Mauri established himself as a leading figure in the study of Chinese Marxism, Maoism, and the history of the People?s Republic of China.

STOUGHTON – James A. Steele, age 59, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, surrounded by his loving family. Jim was the associate registrar for student records. A full obituary will be in Friday’s paper.

MADISON – Judith L. Ladinsky, age 73, of Madison, passed away Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012, from stroke-related complications. She was a professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences in the UW Medical School for more than 30 years and was director of the Office of International Health. She held an affiliation with the Center for Southeast Asian Studies. Judy assisted numerous graduate and medical students secure International Health rotations where they learned firsthand about global health issues.

MADISON – Rockwell I. Schulz, age 82, died peacefully at home on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. In 1972 he initiated and directed the programs in Health Service Administration within the U.W. Madison Medical School. Throughout his U.W. career he combined his teaching with international research in comparative health care management. He retired in 1996.

James Crow, an influential population geneticist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, died of congestive heart failure last Wednesday at the age of 95, the New York Times reported. A leader in the field for more than 50 years, Crow helped shape public policy on major genetics issues such as atomic radiation damage and the use of DNA in the courtroom. He was active in the scientific community right up until his death, working on a new paper in his campus office just two weeks ago, the university reported.

H. Edwin Young, who led the University of Wisconsin at Madison through some of the most dramatic campus violence of the Vietnam War era, died Jan. 2 at an assisted living facility in Madison. He was 94.

James F. Crow, a leader in the field of population genetics who helped shape public policy toward atomic radiation damage and the use of DNA in the courtroom, died last Wednesday at his home in Madison, Wis. He was 95.

MADISON – Sharon Lynn Drugan, age 52, of Madison, passed away Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, after a long, courageous, hard-fought and stoic battle with cancer. She worked a series of library jobs at UW-Madison libraries, the longest and most recent being at College Library. Sharon was very dedicated to this job, continuing to work as much as she could even while seriously ill.

MADISON – Beverly Ann Woolhiser Steinhoff passed away Sunday morning, Jan. 8, 2012 at the Agrace Hospice after a long battle with heart problems. She worked as an instructor in the School of Nursing, teaching both undergrad and graduate level courses. Bev was active in the UW-Madison School of Nursing Alumni Association, serving as chairperson for a number of years. One of the most significant achievements was to challenge the class of 1953 to pledge over $25,000 to the new School of Nursing building program. Subsequent classes have tried to better this unbelievable amount. Bev was awarded Nursing Alumni of the year for this achievement.

WATERTOWN – Gerald Maurice “Maury” Kieffer, age 79, of Watertown, passed away on Jan. 5, 2012, at Angel?s Grace Hospice in Oconomowoc, surrounded by his loving family. He was a member of UW Alumni Association and WALSAA, the Wisconsin Agricultural and Life Science Alumni Association.

MADISON – Edwin Young died Jan. 2, 2012, in Madison, Wis., at the age of 94. He had a long and distinguished career at the University of Wisconsin as a student, then a professor of economics, and administrator from 1945 until he retired in 1987. He served at many levels of administration, culminating with his terms as Chancellor of UW-Madison and UW President. A celebration of Edwin Young’s life will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to the Free Rural Eye Clinic care of the University of Wisconsin Foundation, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Economics care of the University of Wisconsin Foundation, and to the University of Maine.

Eric John Norman, age 69, of Madison, passed quietly from this life at Agrace HospiceCare on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. Eric worked at UW?s Academic Computing Center (later Division of Information Technology) for more than 41 years until his retirement in 2008. During those years Eric made significant contributions to academic computing. His expertise was pivotal in the development of the first e-mail system for students and faculty, long before the days of the internet made e-mail commonplace. In the years directly preceding his retirement, Eric became a recognized expert in the emerging fields of digital security and data encryption at UW-Madison and peer institutions across the country.

A memorial service for Mollie E. Buckley will be held from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012, on the WISCONSIN UNION THEATER STAGE in the MEMORIAL UNION on UW-Madison campus.

James Crow, a University of Wisconsin-Madison geneticist whose career spanned nearly seven decades, died this week at the age of 95.