Wayne Kussow

MIDDLETON
Wayne R. Kussow kicked the bucket on October 7, 2017. Born to Benjamin and Ruth Kussow in Green Bay on December 1, 1938; he was raised on a small dairy farm near Oconto, WI. A 1957 graduate of the Oconto Falls High School, he enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he earned a B.S. degree in Agriculture in 1961, M.S. in 1963 and Ph.D. in Soil Chemistry in 1966. He was a member of Delta Theta Sigma and Alpha Zeta fraternities.

Wayne is survived by his wife, Carol (Freas), three sons; Jeffrey (Kathy), Timothy (Bobbi-Jo), and David (Angie) and six grandsons; Stephen, Ryan, Joseph, Joshua, William and Alexander and one granddaughter, Olivia. He is also survived by four brothers; Thomas, Roger, Gary, and James.

Wayne had two professional lives. The first involved international agriculture development and administration of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison international agriculture programs from 1966 to 1984. During this time, he lived for 5 years in Brazil, first participating in the creation of M.S. degrees at the federal university in Porto Alegre. On his second tour in Brazil he helped to revitalize the country's agricultural research system and served as rice research team leader at the newly created National Rice and Bean Center in Goiania. Over the years he consulted for short periods of time in Indonesia, Nigeria, and the Dominican Republic.

In 1984 Wayne transferred fulltime to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Soil Science where he served as coordinator of the Turf and Grounds Management Program, taught three soil science courses and developed a course in turf grass nutrition management. His research encompassed everything from golf putting green construction to turf grass species selection for athletic fields. For 6 years he measured nutrient losses in runoff water from lawns. He served on numerous task forces and committees in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the university before retiring in 2005.

Wayne received what he considered to be 2 major awards. First was the Madison Area Youth Coach of the year, awarded to him in 1987 by the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association. In 2000, the Wisconsin Turfgrass Association honored him by funding the Wayne R. Kussow Distinguished Fellowship in Turfgrass Research. To date the fellowship has supported the research of numerous graduate students.

In lieu of flowers or cards, consider a donation to the Wisconsin Turfgrass Association to support turf grass research and education.

Friends of Wayne are invited to join his family in a Celebration of Life on October 28th from 1-4 p.m. at Badger Farms, 1682 County Road BB, Deerfield, WI 53531.

Please share your memories of Wayne.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road Madison
(608) 238-3434