Category: Obituaries

Kathryn C. Nelson, age 84, passed away on Friday, Sept. 19, 2008. In addition to raising her six children, she worked many jobs including one at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Engineering.

Gloria A. (Rockett) Hohlstein, age 69, died peacefully in her sleep on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008. She worked in food service at residence halls for the UW-Madison for many years.

Irene E. Ellestad, age 89, died on Monday, Aug. 11, 2008.  She worked as a laboratory assistant in the Biochemistry Department at the University of Wisconsin until her retirement.

Phyllis Marie Brose, age 82, formerly of Madison, passed away on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008. Phyllis was instrumental in the development of the first hemodialysis unit at the University Hospital in Madison. She served as the unit’s nursing supervisor from 1966 until 1989.

Most rural Americans never knew Calvin Beale, but he knew rural America.

Beale, who died earlier this month at age 85, was a rural demographer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one federal bureaucrat among the millions who help administer the country. He was on the job in two federal agencies for more than 61 years, around a quarter of the history of the United States.

Wisconsin was close to his heart – he received a master’s degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It was in the state, mid-1950s, where he became involved in a controversy over a survey of farmers. Beale said the survey showed the number of farms was dwindling, and he included the information in a published report. A senior official attempted to quash the document, he said.

Raphael “Ray” Krantz, age 90, of Pine Bluff, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008. He last worked for UW-Provisions for 16 years prior to his retirement.

Khayrulla Ismatoullaev passed away peacefully on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008, at his home in Madison. He taught Uzbek language and culture in the Department of Languages and Cultures of Asia at UW-Madison beginning in 2003.

Katherine B. Burris, age 92, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008. She worked as a dietician at the University Hospital in Madison for many years.

John E. “Jack” Mitchell passed away on Aug. 30, 2008, at the HospiceCare Center in Madison. In 1956 Jack joined the UW-Madison faculty as an assistant professor of plant pathology. He was eventually promoted to associate and then full professor and served as chairman of the Department from 1975-1980.

Phil “Curly” Hoffman, age 90, passed away surrounded by his family at HospiceCare in Fitchburg. He worked for the University of Wisconsin as an animal caretaker.

Arnold Miller of Tucson, Ariz., formerly of Madison, passed away peacefully on Friday, Aug. 22, 2008, due to complications from a routine medical procedure. Arnold was a professor of French in the Department of French and Italian at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for 29 years.

Daniel Gregg Myers, age 22, passed away Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008, at University Hospital. Daniel was a 2004 graduate of Madison Memorial High School and a 2008 graduate, with distinction, from UW-Madison in piano performance.

Richard “Rick” Putze, age 22, passed away on Aug. 27, 2008. Rick was a 2004 Graduate of Milwaukee Tech and currently a student at UW-Madison where he was majoring in Chemistry.

Lindsey Theresa Plank, age 23, died on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008, as a result of a car crash. She was finishing her chemistry degree at UW-Madison.

Richard “Swede” Swenson, age 66, passed away on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008. Swede worked for the University of Wisconsin Physical Plant as a carpenter for 30 years, retiring in 1996.

Joan M. Gregg, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, age 71, passed from this life on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008. Joan worked at the University of Wisconsin Department of Hygiene in payroll until her retirement in 2003.

Jane Graff, age 81, died on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008. Graff was a faculty member in the School of Human Ecology at UW-Madison from 1959 until 1991. Her job was to identify consumers’ concerns about interior design and the performance of furnishings and to develop programs to address these concerns.

Sandi L Benson, age 65, passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008. She worked for the State of Wisconsin and University of Wisconsin Health and Social Services for 15 years.

Ila M. Campbell, age 83, of rural Avoca, died on Monday, Aug. 18, 2008. Ila worked at UW-Madison for more than 10 years, retiring in 1986.

Richard A. Peterson, age 76, lost his battle with cancer on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008. In 1983, Richard was hired at the University Hospital and retired there after 13 years of service in 1996.

Lawrence A. Riddle, age 74, passed away on Monday, Aug. 11, 2008. Larry worked for the University of Wisconsin.

Lindley Joseph Stiles, a pioneering former dean of the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education, died April 6 in Boulder, Colo., at the age of 94.

After his years at U.Va., he served as dean of the University of Wisconsin’s education school. He retired as professor emeritus of education from Northwestern University in 1979.

Donald “Don” Christian Hunt, age 62, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008. Don Hunt served as a lecturer in the UW-Madison Ceramics Department in 2003-2004 and 2006-2007.

David John Fritzke, age 38, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes at his home on Sunday, Aug. 3, 2008. At the time of his death, David worked through the Greater University Tutoring Service, instructing foreign students in English.

Bonnie Hamilton Bailey, age 81, of Carlinville, Ill., formerly of Madison, died Friday, Aug. 1, 2008. Bonnie taught and consulted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Business Management Institute for 17 years.

Services for Irving W. Kreutz, 90, of Jersey City, are private. He died yesterday at Jersey City Medical Center.

Born in Pecos, Texas, he lived in Madison, Wis., before moving to moving to Jersey City 31/2 years ago.

Kreutz was a philosophy professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He retired in 1980.

For many years during his busy career as a doctor, Jules Roy Lodish hardly had time to stop for death, although as an oncologist and hematologist, he was certainly aware of its presence.

Earlier in his career, he had focused on end-of-life issues and had created a nationally recognized hospice program for the terminally ill while serving as an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin’s medical school.

Stanley J. Peloquin, age 87, passed away Sunday, July 27, 2008. A Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin in the Departments of Horticulture and Genetics, he was a world-renowned potato geneticist and breeder.

Buford E. “Sonny” Burlingame, age 76, passed away on Tuesday, July 29, 2008. He worked at the UW Medical School as an animal caretaker.

Steven James Meacham, age 61, of Lone Rock, passed away in his home on Sunday, July 27, 2008. Steve did many things in his life, including janitorial work for the UW system.

Chuck Falkner, a long time resident of Madison and professor of Industrial Engineering at the University of Wisconsin, passed on Friday, July 11, 2008.

Evelyn Virginia (Engel) Swenson, age 87, died on Wednesday, July 16, 2008. Evelyn worked at the University of Wisconsin in the Mass Communications and the Dairy Science departments.

E. Joyce Mohberg passed away Tuesday, July 1, 2008. Joyce completed a Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin in 1961 and embarked on her first career as a basic research scientist, doing pioneering work in the cell biology and biochemistry of Physarum polycephalum at the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research at UW-Madison.

Ruth Jacobson, age 101, passed away on Thursday, July 17, 2008. Ruth worked at the University Hospital for more than 30 years as the supervisor in the cafeteria.

David Dougherty Gilboe, Ph.D., age 78, died on Wednesday, June 18, 2008. David entered UW-Madison in 1954 to begin his graduate studies in biochemistry and earned his M.S. (1955) and Ph.D. (1958). After receiving his Ph.D. he became an instructor in the Departments of Surgery and Physiological Chemistry. He reached the rank of professor in 1973 and then held faculty appointments with both physiology and neurological surgery, after the Department of Neurological Surgery was established in 1989. In 2000, Dr. Gilboe became an emeritus professor, but still remained active in the recruitment and mentoring of residents, graduate students and faculty in the Department of Neurological Surgery.

Caryl M. Johnsrud, age 80, passed away on Thursday, June 26, 2008. Caryl worked in food service at Edgewood High School and at concession stands at the Dane County Coliseum and UW-Madison Field House.

Effie Anne Amos, age 84, of Madison, died on Thursday, July 10, 2008. From 1972 until 1985, Effie worked for the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene as a bacteriologist.

Daniel G. Rider, Jr. passed away peacefully on Friday, July 11, 2008. Dan received his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1964. He was an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellow.  After nearly 40 years with the UW-Madison, he retired in 2003 as Professor Emeritus of mathematics.

David Dougherty Gilboe, Ph.D., age 78, died on Wednesday, June 18, 2008. David entered UW-Madison in 1954 to begin his graduate studies in biochemistry and earned his M.S. (1955) and Ph.D. (1958). After receiving his Ph.D. he became an instructor in the Departments of Surgery and Physiological Chemistry. He reached the rank of professor in 1973 and then held faculty appointments with both physiology and neurological surgery, after the Department of Neurological Surgery was established in 1989.  In 2000, Dr. Gilboe became an emeritus professor, but still remained active in the recruitment and mentoring of residents, graduate students and faculty in the Department of Neurological Surgery.

Terry Gillickâ??s niece Michaela McElwee wanted to return early from her vacation in Belfast, Northern Ireland, for Gillickâ??s funeral. Instead, Gillickâ??s wife asked her to find a nice pub and raise a pint to her â??Uncle Funny.â?

Gillick, a longtime spokesman for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, died of a heart attack Sunday. He was 59. He and his wife, Terry Perry, lived on Milwaukeeâ??s west side.

Rebecca Ann Swender passed away at her home in Madison on Saturday, June 14, 2008. Becca was a Ph.D candidate in the Film Studies Program of the Department of Communication Arts at UW-Madison, where she also earned a master of arts degree (2002).

Susan M. “Sue” Schneider, age 93 of Waunakee, passed away on Tuesday, June 10, 2008, in Madison. In 1967, she took a position with the University of Wisconsin School of Nursing, where she worked as executive secretary to the dean of the school until her retirement in December 1981.

Felicia Melton-Smyth, age 41, died on May 26, 2008. Felicia was a known supporter and philanthropist within the Madison area GLBT community. She worked at the UW Madison.

Alice M. Everson, age 79, passed away on Sunday, June 1, 2008. She was employed with the state of Wisconsin for 30 years in housekeeping at the UW-Madison dormitories.

Thomas J. Butler, age 84, passed away after a brief illness on Monday, June 2, 2008. A UW-Madison alum, Tom covered a variety of sporting events with his principal “beat” being UW football and basketball. He wrote a regular column for 26 years. Tom also “moonlighted” as Sports Information Director of the Wisconsin State University Conference (WSUC) now the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) for 29 years.

Oluf M. Davidsen, 83, died on May 31, 2008. After obtaining his PhD. at UW-Madison, Oluf was assistant registrar at the University of Wisconsin. He went on to become a high-ranking employee of the American College Testing Service.

Elizabeth R. “Sis” Romine, age 94, died on Monday, May 26, 2008. She worked at the Memorial Union and Lowell Hall for many years.

Prominent local engineer and developer Jerome J. “Jerry” Mullins, age 82, died on Sunday, May 25, 2008. He attended the University of Wisconsin, College of Engineering and graduated in 1950 with a degree in civil engineering.   He later received Lifetime Achievement and Distinguished Service Awards from the University of Wisconsin.  He and his family established the Jerome and Carol Mullins Entrepreneurship Scholarship Fund at the University of Wisconsin which provides several scholarships to engineering students each year.

Dianne L. Sieker, age 68, died on Wednesday, May 21, 2008. She worked at the University of Wisconsin as a program coordinator in a variety of areas.

Fay M. Denzer, age 65, passed away on Tuesday, May 20, 2008. He worked for at time as a custodian for the UW Physical Plant and received an award from UW-Madison for saving a man’s life while at work.

Elaine M. Christofferson, age 78, passed away on Tuesday, May 13, 2008. She retired after 25 years of service as the secretary for the 4H extension at UW.

Kathryn Marie Buck Andersen Sayles, known as Kay to her legion of friends, died on Friday, May 16, 2008. She worked as a rare books cataloger at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Library in the 1940s.

Lyle W. Ekleberry, age 84, of Madison, passed away on Wednesday, May 14, 2008. Lyle worked for the University of Wisconsin – Madison from 1960 until 1985.

Mark W. Coyne, age 53, passed away on Sunday, May 11, 2008, as a result of a UW Med Flight accident. In June 1981, Mark joined the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics as the orthopedic unit charge nurse. From 1983 through 1986, he was a nurse clinician in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. In June 1986, Mark was recruited to the UW Med Flight program where he currently worked as a flight nurse for the last 22 years.

Louise M. Frye, age 88, died peacefully at the Don and Marilyn Anderson Hospice Center on Monday, May 12, 2008. Louise was a supervisor at the UW Survey Research Lab.

Steven H. Lipperer, age 39, passed away on Saturday, May 10, 2008, as a result of injuries sustained in a MedFlight helicopter accident. Since 2000, he was a Med Flight pilot for Air Methods Inc. at the University Hospital.

Dr. Darren Bruce Bean, age 37, passed away on Saturday, May 10, 2008, while serving others. He worked as a UW emergency medicine physician, a Medflight physician, and was the Level 1 Cardiac Co-Director.