Duncan Godshall

Madison - William Duncan Godshall, age 91, died on December 18, 2012 at Alden Estates Nursing Home in Jefferson, Wisconsin. Duncan was born November 10, 1921 in Peshtigo, Wisconsin to Aurilla and George Godshall. He attended Peshtigo High School and then served in the Air Force in the South Pacific for three years during World War II. Several years later, he began studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he received a degree in electrical engineering in 1952. That year, he married Wanda J. Hauge. After working as a broadcast engineer for WHA and WKOW-TV until 1960, he spent the better part of his career as an instrumentation engineer at the USDA Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, specializing in testing of wood-based packaging materials. After retirement from "the lab", Duncan and Wanda began spending their winters in Hilo, Hawaii, the home of their daughter Kathryn, while also maintaining their home in Madison, which was featured in one of the early Parades of Homes (1957). For the last several years, they have lived in a senior apartment complex, not far from their Parade home, along with the youngest family member, Sammy-the-cat. Duncan suffered several medical setbacks over the last year, with multiple hospitalizations at the Middleton VA Hospital of Madison, and a final stay of about two months at Alden Estates, where he was also cared for by staff of Agrace Hospice Care. The family is appreciative of those who cared for him in each of those facilities. He is survived by his wife Wanda of Madison and daughter Karen of Verona. He was preceded in death by his daughter Kathryn. No services are planned, and the family asks that any memorial gifts be made to the charity of the donor's choice.