Dear Colleagues,

I share with you the sad news that Professor Emeritus Donald Vogel passed away on April 10. Don was a member of UWM’s Political Science department from 1967 to about 1970, specializing in the field of local and state government and administration.

In the early 1970s he transferred to the UW-Extension office in downtown Milwaukee (now the School of Continuing Education). There he was a member of its Government Affairs program until his retirement in the mid-90s. He also taught occasionally for the MPA program and for the Political Science Department.

Don, a New York native and U.S. Navy veteran, earned his Ph.D. at the University of Iowa. Over the years Don became very well known throughout Wisconsin for his expertise and for his gifted teaching. He was widely known and respected in local and state government.

From 1991 to 1996 he worked on a major federally funded program operating in cooperation with Milwaukee County government to host and educate local government personnel from post-Soviet controlled Poland. Don took the lead in directing the program, arranging for each visitor to work closely with local government specialists in a host of different areas – from water treatment to zoning to tax policy, social welfare, policing, and local administration.

Don was a dedicated husband, father, and grandfather. He developed and maintained many great and lasting friendships. He was a terrific chef and an expert sailor. In his spare time Don was a fine artist, an opera lover, and sports fan. In retirement he learned to play the cello and never stopped reading.

We share our condolences with Don’s family and the many others whose lives he touched.

Take care,

Johannes

Johannes Britz
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs