"It's been a long time since I last saw Ed Daub but I have a fond recollection of him. I came to the UW-Madison in 1963 to establish a program in English as a second language for international students on campus. Ed and his good wife Liba were generous in doing what they could to make foreign students feel at home. So our paths crossed on a number of occasions when we each tried to do our bit in welcoming students from other lands. In 1965-66 I was in Japan as a consultant to the English Language Education Council of Tokyo and director of its Institute. Ed had also spent time in Japan so, when I returned to Madison, this was another shared experience. He was always strongly supportive of my efforts to develop a solid instructional program to assist international students in strengthening their English language skills for success in their academic programs. The UW was blessed to have a faculty member who took such a special interest in students from abroad. I am sure that many of those former students remember him with gratitude. Charles Scott, Professor Emeritus, English."
In loving memory of
Edward E. Daub
May 17, 1924 - December 3, 2015
Reverend Dr. Edward E. Daub
Madison - Edward Eugene Daub, age 91, passed away at his home in Madison on Thursday, December 3. He was born in Milwaukee to Guido and Pauline Daub on May 17, 1924. He graduated from North Division High School. He earned a B.S. (1945) and M.S. (1947), both in chemical engineering at UW-Madison and served in the U.S. Navy through the V-12 program.
Feeling that engineering was not the answer to the world's problems, on the advice of friend and mentor Rev. Cecil Lower, Ed enrolled at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. While at Union, Ed met his future wife, Elizabeth "Liba" Sullivan, a graduate of Wellesley College and Biblical Studies student. They were married on Aug. 20,1949 in Arlington, Va.
During the 1950's, the couple engaged in missionary work in Japan, during the recovery from World War II. This included extensive language study followed by work in Japanese churches and Christian schools. Ed was invited to teach chemical engineering in Japanese at Doshisha University in Kyoto. This time in Japan was instrumental in determining Ed's future career choices. While in Japan, Ed and Liba and their children reconnected with Liba's upbringing in Shanghai China through spending summers at Liba's family's vacation cottage at Lake Nojiri, a summer home that allowed a respite for the Sullivan family from summers in Shanghai.
After ten years in Japan, the family returned to Madison where Ed pursued graduate work in History of Science, earning his PhD in 1966. Ed then served on the faculty of the Department of History at the University of Kansas before returning to UW-Madison in 1971 to develop a liberal arts program and courses on Technical Japanese for scientists and engineers. The Technical Japanese program that Ed started is still growing under the leadership of one of Ed's former students, Professor James Davis and is used by universities and companies around the country.
Ed was a man with many interests. He was lead cheerleader at UW during his undergraduate years. As an ordained minister he performed weddings and baptisms. He was an actor, appearing in productions such as "Diary of Anne Frank," "A Doll's House," and "Our Town." He was a bread baker, bike-rider, tennis and bridge player, tutor for middle-school students and avid gardener. He followed the Packers, the Brewers and the Bucks with devotion. He relished his daily beer. He enjoyed spending time with Liba and the extended family at their cabin in Waushara County where he developed a passion for nature study. He was always excited to spend time with his grandchildren and came up with many amusing activities during their visits to Madison.
Ed was predeceased by his parents Guido and Pauline Daub of Milwaukee, his siblings Guido Daub of Albuquerque, NM, Gertrude Bergner and Pauline Kasper, both of Greendale, WI, and his parents-in-law, Philip and Bess Sullivan of Arlington, VA. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Sullivan Daub (Liba) and his five children: Philip Sullivan Daub of Madison, Margaret Elizabeth Daub (John Chisnell) of Raleigh, NC, Edward Christopher Daub (Amy Reynolds) of Parkersburg, WV, Eric MacDonald Daub (Dale Koike) of Austin, TX and Gretchen Martha Daub Westman of Durham, NC, as well as by nine grandchildren: Robin and Peter Chisnell, Katie, Julie and Teddy Daub, Laura, Megan and Clay Westman, and Tatiana Koike.
The family is grateful to the Senior Helpers and Agrace Hospice Care for the wonderful care they gave Ed, enabling him to stay at home throughout his illness.
A Memorial Service will be held at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 4100 Nakoma Road on Saturday, January 16 at 2 PM, conducted by the Reverend Kathleen Owens.
Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.
Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
608-238-3434
Tributes
"Coincidence that I saw this obit in Sunday's Wisconsin State Journal on one of my few visits a year to Madison. University of Wisconsin-Madison Prof. Ed Daub mentored me briefly during graduate school,but the project we worked on together - writing about testimony to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission on energy technology and our not-limitless supply of fuels - was formative for my successful career as a science communicator. I confess that I thought of him little once I was out in the real world,as our work together involved just a one-semester course and a paid summer fellowship. How much I missed by not getting to know him better - he surely would have been generous with his time and talents. My takeaway from this - remember those who touch your lives even briefly. Their influence may be far more than you can imagine."
"Dear Liba, Ed was always so kind to my kids. Both Garrett and Sam are sad about his death. Garrett called him a good friend. I'm thankful that we share a church family, and that we got to know him. Fondly, Kate Fletcher"
"Dear Liba, You may not remember me as we haven't seen each other for many years, but I have very fond memories of Ed from when he worked in the History of Science Department. I was the History of Science librarian in Memorial Library. Ed was always interested in books, and we met many times. He was a very fine, kind man. My sympathies to you and your family. I live up in the north woods now, since retiring in 2000, so I don't get to Madison often anymore. John Neu"
"We will always remember Ed Daub as the man who joined Junko and I together in a marriage ceremony that he conducted in both English and Japanese, and claimed once he united us we could never part. Ed was also my colleague at EPD where I observed his wit and work ethic as he continued to work on translations long after he retired. The man was aa cheerleader for humanity and excellence and will be missed."
"It was with great sadness that I read about the passing of Ed Daub. I met him for the first time in 1962 in Japan, although I had been familiar with his name, since he was already part of the legend of the Chemical Engineering Department here at the University of Wisconsin. We worked together on the development of several books on technical Japanese translation--one of the most pleasant and productive periods in my tenure here at the university. Ed was inventive, clever, quick, and scholarly--just the sort of person that appeals to me. Since about five or six years ago, our interests and activities diverged and I did not see much of him during that period. Nonetheless, I shall miss his presence, and offer my sincere condolences to the wonderful family he leaves behind."
"I came to know Ed Daub while I was a graduate student in electrical engineering taking his Basic Technical Japanese course in the Fall of 1989. I will always remember the sparkle in his eye and the joyful enthusiasm he brought to every early morning lecture. Prof. Daub's course was my introduction to the Japanese language, and I loved every minute of it. The engineer's logic that he applied to the dissection of the Japanese language really hooked me on the study of kana and kanji and set me on the career path to where I am today, a professor of plasma and fusion science at the National Institute for Fusion Science in Toki, Japan. The course I took from Prof. Daub along with subsequent courses from him and his colleague, Prof. Jim Davis, and from the Department of East Asian Languages and Literature at UW-Madison, were critical in preparing me to work for 21 years (and counting) in a Japanese scientific environment and have undoubtedly enabled me to overcome the linguistic hurdle posed by the Japanese language in order to make a very rewarding career in Japan. Beyond the kana, grammar and the 365 kanji (one for every day of the year as he would say) that I learned in his course, I really looked up to Ed Daub as a role model of an engineering educator who lived his Christian faith to make a positive impact on the development of international society through his amazingly diverse career. I can only think of a few people who have inspired me as profoundly as Ed Daub did and I will always feel a deep debt of gratitude for his life."
"I first met Professor Daub in Fall of 1986 when I enrolled in the Technical Japanese 1 class at UW-Madison during my (short) undergraduate years. He noticed that I had an ability to notice details in kanji that others would overlook, and subsequently asked me to become involved in their "Basic Technical Japanese" book project, which was published in 1990. It was also the first book that I typeset. I think that I spent more time on the engineering portion of campus than I did in linguistics, which was the major field for my MA, BA, and PhD degrees. When I earned my PhD in mid-1994, it was Professor Daub who accompanied me when I received my degree during the graduation ceremony. If I could point to a single person who put me on the path that I am on, career-wise, it would be Professor Daub. RIP my friend and mentor. The world was a better place with you walking among us, and you will be missed. You are also my youngest son's namesake."
"I will never, ever forget Eddie's wonderful career entertaining all of us at the UW football games. He was one of my brother's best friends(Ken Chandler) and the 2 of them kept us all laughing with their column "Orchids and Onions" in the Daily cardinal. He was always so nice to Ken's little sister. He will be long remembered. Noreen (Chandler) Weber "
"We were very sad to learn of Ed's death. From our first awareness of him performing in the play Our Town, we knew that he was special. With a far reaching intelligence, a sharing heart, a quick wit, and an ability to connect. Liba, you will remain in our prayers. Ed & Ruth Sheldon"