[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 106 (Thursday, August 3, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S8794]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        THE LIFE OF LEON EPSTEIN

 Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today I wish to honor the memory 
of Leon Epstein, someone who contributed a great deal to the University 
of Wisconsin and the study of political science, and someone I was 
proud to know.
  Leon, who passed away on Tuesday, was a native Wisconsinite who gave 
back to our State through his dedicated work both as a scholar and an 
administrator at UW. Born in 1919 in Beaver Dam, he went on to study at 
the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned a B.A. and then an 
M.A. in economics. He then spent virtually his entire academic career 
on the Madison campus, where for 40 years he was a beloved fixture in 
the political science department--a department from which I was proud 
to graduate. He made an impact on countless students as he taught 
introductory courses and supervised doctoral dissertations for four 
decades.
  Throughout his life, Leon remained dedicated to his own research and 
independent work. He received many prestigious fellowship grants and 
published six books. He was widely recognized for his book ``Political 
Parties in Western Democracies,'' which received the first book award 
from the Political Organizations and Parties Section of the American 
Political Science Association. He also served as president of the 
Midwest Political Science Association, the British Politics Group, and 
the American Political Science Association.
  Leon also held the position of dean of the College of Letters and 
Science from 1965 to 1969. In every capacity, Leon earned the respect 
and friendship of those with whom he worked. He was someone I admired, 
both for who he was and for the many outstanding contributions he made 
to the study of political science. He leaves behind a great legacy. 
People will study his work for many years to come. And those of us who 
knew him will remember a man of tremendous character who gave so much 
to a university and a State that he loved. He will be greatly 
missed.

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