Category: Obituaries

James V. Edsall, a World War II pilot, architect, world traveler and all around great guy, passed away at the age of 90, on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010, at HospiceCare, Inc. Following the war, he attended the University of Illinois school of architecture and became a campus planner. In 1964, Jim transferred to UW-Madison as the director of planning and construction. He was asked to be a consultant to many universities in southeast Asia.

Ross A. Evans, age 73, died Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010. For all of his adult life, Ross worked as a teacher and researcher at several universities, but mainly at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. After retirement, he moved to Ames, Iowa.

Mary Lou Amborn Taylor, age 83, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010, after a brief illness. She graduated from the UW School of Nursing (1950) and received a B.S. degree from UW-Madison (1952). A born nurse, Mary was an RN for 43 years, retiring in 1993. She served on the Alumni Board of the UW School of Nursing.

Dr. Mueller was an accomplished professor of cancer research whose career at the University of Wisconsin spanned the years from 1938-1991. He had a passion for science, research and teaching and was the recipient of numerous awards and honors for his work. His role as an academic advisor was something he cared deeply about and he stayed in touch with many of his students over the years. Mueller served three years as UW Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Dr. Charles E. Yale, age 85, died peacefully in his sleep on Nov. 7, 2010, at his home in Mesa, Ariz. Before retirement he had been Professor of Surgery Emeritus at the UW School of Medicine in Madison where he established the Gnotobiotic Laboratory to study bowel obstruction in germ-free rats. He was also one of the developers of gastric surgery for the morbidly obese.

UW Athletic Department spokesman Justin Doherty says, “In some ways it?s an unimaginable thing to happen and it?s a member of our athletic family.”Manley spent his time at UW working in the athletic department?s video services. He traveled with the football team and took his passion for sports to Atlanta where he spent the summer interning with the Falcons.

Funeral services will be held later this month for long-time collegiate agriculture instructor Dr. Walter Bjoraker, who passed away last Thursday at the age of 90.

Noted: When he was a senior at the University of Wisconsin, he and a classmate, Larry Holofcener, wrote another musical, ?Big as Life,? about Paul Bunyan. After graduation they both went to New York, where they were hired to write songs for ?The Admiral Broadway Revue,? which evolved into ?Your Show of Shows,? the popular vehicle for Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca.

Walter T. Bjoraker, age 90, died Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010 at home. After earning his doctorate, Walter played a leadership role in the Department of Agriculture and Extension Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, serving as department chairman for 20 years. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 1984. Walter was devoted to the Future Farmers of America (FFA) all of his adult life, encouraging young people to serve rural communities.

Patricia Martinson, age 61, of Waunakee, died unexpectedly on Sunday, Oct. 31, 2010, at her home in Waunakee. She was employed at UW Letters and Sciences Administration in Madison.

Dylan Daniel Ellefson, age 21, was tragically killed in an auto accident on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010. He was born on June 19, 1989, in Madison, the son of Daniel and Deborah (Dougherty) Ellefson of Sun Prairie. Dylan was a 2007 graduate of Sun Prairie High School and was currently a senior at UW-Madison, majoring in Spanish education.

Edwin Harold Newman was born in New York City on January 25 1919 and had his first taste of reporting on his high school paper. At the University of Wisconsin, where he read Political Science, he took part-time dishwashing jobs to help finance his studies.

John K. McAnelly, age 79, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, Oct. 11, 2010, in Madison. John was a Senior Scientist at the Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Paul W. Lyne, 55, died peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 3, at his home. Paul worked at the Waisman Center. He and his wife, Mary Czynszak-Lyne, would have celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary this month.

Members of the Boston University community gathered at Marsh Chapel on Friday to remember College of Engineering Francesco “Franco” Cerrina?s life.

Cerrina came to BU in 2008 after being a part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty for 24 years, where he also served as director of the Center of Nanotechnology and received the Semiconductor Research Corp.’s Aristotle Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1998.

Susan M. Ross, 66, died Wednesday, Sept. 27, at the University Hospitals after a long illness with breast cancer. Susan received an M.A. and Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Wisconsin. She worked as a lecturer and research associate for several years before being appointed assistant dean in the Office of Student Affairs, College of Letters and Science, a position she held until her retirement from the UW in 1992. She authored or co-authored a number of research articles in the field of psychology.

Janice Williamson, previously of Mazomanie and Pine Bluff, lately residing in Madison, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at University Hospital. She was employed by University Hospitals for her entire career. Before retiring, she held the position of administrative secretary and supervisor in the Ophthalmology Department.

Charl M. Groom, age 61, of Madison, passed away on Sept. 23, 2010, at her home. She worked as a nurse at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Meriter Hospital in Madison, and later worked in human relations at Meriter Hospital for many years.

Robin Marie Mortimer, age 46, of Janesville, passed away at the Mercy Medical Center on Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2010, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Robin was employed by the UW Medical Foundation. She was very thankful for the thoughts and prayers of her fellow employees in the UW Medical Foundation.

Edwin Newman, distinguished UW-Madison alumnus, witty NBC anchor and former Daily Cardinal reporter, died of pneumonia at the age of 91 in Oxford, England.

Edwin Newman, who brought literacy, wit and energy to NBC newscasts for more than three decades, and battled linguistic pretense and clutter in his best sellers “Strictly Speaking” and “A Civil Tongue,” has died. He was 91. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1940.

Edwin Newman, distinguished UW-Madison alumnus, witty NBC anchor and former Daily Cardinal reporter, died of pneumonia at the age of 91 in Oxford, England. Newman died Aug. 13 but his death was not made public until Wednesday. Newman was born in Brooklyn on Jan. 25, 1919 and graduated from UW-Madison in 1940 with a degree in political science.

Robert “Bob” E. Rompre, age 81, of Beaver Dam and formerly of Waupun, died peacefully at his son?s home in Sun Prairie on Monday, Sept. 13, 2010….When he wasn’t playing or coaching, he also enjoyed scouting for the US Hockey Team and officiating for UW-Madison Badger hockey games.

Milton O. Pella, age 96, died on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, at the University Hospital in Madison. Milton was a science teacher at the University of Wisconsin High School 1939-1942, 1946-1948, a professor of science education University of Wisconsin 1948-1980, and professor emeritus since 1980. The improvement of science education K-16 has been his prime concern throughout his professional career.

Mary Belle Lyons, age 96, passed away peacefully on August 14, 2010, at Oakwood Village West. Mary began working for UW Hospital in 1956. During her career she handled administrative functions when the Department of Pediatric Medicine was established and later served as supervisor of Outpatient Clerical Services. Following her retirement in 1976, Mary Belle served as a volunteer at the hospital for many years.

Henry A. Lardy could be called the father – or at least one of the fathers – of artificial insemination.

He was long a biochemistry professor and researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison whose work included key discoveries into how to store and preserve animal semen, revolutionizing livestock breeding throughout the world. That eventually helped further research and treatment into human infertility.

David Golden Andersen, age 57, of Madison, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010, at his home. He graduated from Marshfield Senior High School in 1970 and attended UW-Madison. David was employed at the UW-Madison Physical Plant, Crew 18, for the past 22 years.

John A. Gundlach Sr., age 68, went to be with his heavenly Father, on Sunday morning, Aug. 1, 2010, at St. Mary?s Hospital surrounded by his family. He worked for the University of Wisconsin Zoology Research Department for 30 years, retiring at the age of 50.

William Sydney Critchley, age 61, of Madison, passed away on Tuesday, July 27, 2010. He and Jeanine were married in Madison on Sept. 29, 1990. Bill worked as a locksmith and gunsmith for more than 20 years for Jack?s Lock and Gun and 11 years until his retirement in 1995 as supervisor of the Locksmith Shop at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Family and friends gathered for a candlelight vigil Tuesday night to remember a funny and caring UW-Madison graduate bound for law school. Jawaun McClain, 23, drowned in Lake Monona early Thursday while swimming with friends and celebrating his birthday.

Noted: Nilsestuen?s “passionate commitment” to preserving agricultural land will leave a “towering legacy of his influence,” said Molly Jahn, dean of the University of Wisconsin-Madison?s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

David T. Berman, professor emeritus, age 90, died July 8, 2010, at HospiceCare Inc. in Fitchburg. In 1951 he accepted the offer of a faculty position at the University of Wisconsin and embarked on a long and distinguished career of teaching, research and administration, retiring in 1987. His tenure at the University included service as chairman of the Department of Veterinary Science from 1964-1968 and associate dean of Graduate School Biological Sciences from 1969-1976.

A former official who helped UW-Madison become one of the nation?s top agricultural universities has died.

A third former professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison?s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences has died during the month of July. The school announced that former CALS Dean Glenn Pound passed away earlier this month at the age of 96. He had been living at his retirement home in La Jolla, California.

A longtime professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Franco Cerrina used his expertise to create better ways for researchers to decode the human genome.

Stephen “Steve” P. Harman, age 48, passed away on Thursday, July 15, 2010, surrounded by his loving family following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. For many years, Steve worked as a civil engineer for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He truly enjoyed his job and was widely respected by his co-workers.

Richard Nelson Bertrang Sr. passed away Tuesday, July 13, 2010, at the age of 74. Richard retired from the University of Wisconsin Physical Plant in 1996 after 20-plus years.

He was a classics professor at UW-Madison who taught about 26,000 students. More, he believed, than any other faculty member. She was an arts and literature lecturer, denied tenure because she was a “faculty wife.” The prominent UW-Madison couple died within two days of each other. A memorial service for Herbert and Evelyn (Eve) Mitchell Howe will be held Friday. He died June 29 at age 98; she at age 94 on July 1. The Howes were, for many years, familiar characters on campus ? frequently seen walking or riding bikes to and from their home in the University Heights neighborhood because they didn?t own a car.

The dairy science department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison has lost a giant. Professor Emeritus Dr. David Dickson died on Friday after a long battle with cancer at the age of 71. Although he had been retired as an instructor for a number of years, he remained active as one of the school?s dairy judging team coaches.

Christopher John Williams Funk, age 36, passed away on Friday, July 2nd, 2010 at the HospiceCare Center in Fitchburg after 8 1/2 years of living positively and gracefully with brain cancer. In 2004, Chris and his wife Brandi founded HEADRUSH, an outdoor celebration/fundraising event and brain tumor awareness/research nonprofit organization. In May 2008, HEADRUSH endowed Wisconsin’s first-ever brain tumor research professorship award at the UW Carbone Cancer Center.

Arthur Lloyd Pope, 89, died peacefully at his home and in the presence of his family on Monday, July 5, 2010. Art spent his career as a faculty member of the Department of Meat and Animal Science at the UW-Madison where he taught and conducted research in animal science and small ruminant nutrition for 43 years.

Arthur Lloyd Pope, a longtime UW-Madison expert in sheep production and the man for whom Pope Farm Park is named, died Monday. He was 89.

Peter O. Steiner, University of Michigan Professor Emeritus of Economics, Dean Emeritus of the College Of Literature, Science, and the Arts, and Professor Emeritus of Law, died peacefully at home in Ann Arbor on Saturday, June 26, 2010, in his 88th year.

Steiner began his distinguished academic career as a professor of economics (and his equally distinguished avocation as a denizen of Thursday night poker games) first at the University of California-Berkeley (1949-1957), then at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1957-1968).

So Dwight Armstrong died last week. He was the loser who planted a jet fuel bomb at the University of Wisconsin back in 1970. It killed a young teacher named Robert Fasnacht, who had three kids.

Marsha L. Davis passed away peacefully, Thursday, June 24, 2010. Marsha was a teacher and educator in Dodgeville; Reedsburg; UW-Madison; Marion College, Fond du Lac; Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill.; Nicolet H.S., Glendale; and Governor’s State College, Chicago, Ill.

Samuel Craighead (Craig) Alexander, M.D., of the Quadrangle, Haverford, Pa., died unexpectedly in Rockport, Maine June 23, 2010. He was chairman of the Anesthesia Departments at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, serving at the latter for 20 years.

Dr. Charles R. “Chuck” Stearns, renowned polar researcher, treasured friend and beloved father and brother, passed away unexpectedly, on Tuesday, June 22, 2010.

Harold E. Zwickey died following a short illness on Wednesday morning, June 23, 2010. He worked for the University of Wisconsin Extension Printing as an offset pressman until retiring in 1989.

Peggy Ann Gilbert Taggart of Whitewater, and formerly of Janesville, died Saturday, June 25, 2010. Peggy worked for the state of Wisconsin for 31 years, the last 28 for UW-Madison at DoIt (Division of Information Technology) as a computer programmer and analyst.

Almost 40 years ago, four men stole a van and turned it into a bomb that they set off outside the University of Wisconsin-Madisonâ??s Sterling Hall.

Richard Laverne Rakow, age 69, passed away at his home in Avoca following a heart attack on Monday, June 21, 2010. Richard worked in the maintenance department at University of Wisconsin-Madison for 38 years.