"Bob was a tremendous educator and human being. His dedication to the Extension mission and the farm community was unwavering. The farmers in the county loved his wit, humor and valued his expertise. I find myself passing on many of his witticisms even today; "paint and hardware" disease, "don't add resources until you have fully utilized what you have", "only a farmer knows why the John Deere salesmen doesn't stand behind their manure spreader", etc, etc. He had an impact in my life and will never forget him. "
In loving memory of
Robert Adami Luening
April 20, 1924 - March 27, 2019
Robert Adami Luening died on March 27, 2019 at the age of 94 in Madison, Wisconsin. He was born in Milwaukee on Easter Sunday, April 20, 1924, the son of Edwin Garfield Luening and Irma Barbara (Adami) Luening.
Bob's parents were both educators and Bob's interest in agriculture developed from spending most of his summers on the small farm of his great aunt and uncle near Hartland, Wisconsin. After high school, he took over the neighboring Edwin J. Larson farm. Bob was a dairy farmer in Waukesha County for 16 years where he developed a herd of registered Brown Swiss cattle.
Bob returned to college as an older student and graduated in three years with a B.S. in Ag Education. He later completed a master's degree in Agricultural Economics. He served as the Adult Agricultural Instructor in Blair, Wisconsin for two years. Then he was hired as the Racine County Farm Management Agent for University of Wisconsin-Cooperative Extension for six years. There he met his future wife Dorothy E. Hodgskiss ("Dottie"). They were married in 1966 in Racine.
In 1969 they moved to Madison where Bob was associated with the University of Wisconsin Agricultural & Applied Economics Department with major responsibilities in farm management as well as teaching in the Farm and Industry Short Course program. He retired from the University in 1988. He also taught the summer Farm Management courses for the Midwest Poultry Consortium for several years.
Bob delighted in helping farm families make solid and reasonable economic progress in managing their farm businesses for profit. He had fun doing his job and was fortunate to be able to work with many fine people wherever he went. Bob authored/coauthored numerous Wisconsin Extension bulletins as well as several North Central Regional publications. He also authored three farm management text books.
He was an active member of many service and professional organizations, including the American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers, the Max Kade Institute for German-American Studies, and Madison West Kiwanis. As a Mason for 72 years, Bob was a member and Past Master of the Middleton-Ionic Lodge #180. Bob was an active member of Alpha Gamma Rho - Iota Chapter, a social/professional agricultural fraternity.
During retirement, Bob and Dottie enjoyed researching their genealogy and traveled overseas to connect with other branches of the family. Bob & Dottie attended the University series concerts, Overture Center concerts, the Madison Opera and the Savoyards Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. For many years they enjoyed the companionship of their beloved Pembroke Welsh Corgi dogs. Bob and Dottie have been longtime members of Covenant Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include his wife Dorothy and a first cousin Sally (Robert) Temple of Wauwatosa.
Services will be Wednesday, April 3, 2019 at Cress Funeral Home, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison. A brief public Masonic memorial service begins at 12:45 p.m. Visitation will be held from 1-2 p.m., followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m. with Pastor Clara Thompson officiating.
Special thanks are extended to the caring and compassionate staffs of Oakwood Village-West and Agrace Hospice.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Oakwood Foundation, 6209 Mineral Point Road, Madison, WI 53705; UW Foundation - Robert & Dorothy Luening Fund, US Bank Lockbox 78807, Milwaukee, WI 53278; or the Friends of the Max Kade Institute for German-American Studies, 432 East Campus Mall, Madison, WI 53706.
Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road Madison
(608) 238-3434
Tributes
"I loved working with Bob over the years at the Babcock Institute for International Dairy Research and Development. Bob always had a smile on his face and was ready to laugh. We are very grateful for the Technical Dairy Guide he wrote for the Babcock Institute on Dairy Farm Business Management. This excellent, practical book was translated into many languages and used by farmers all over the world. Thank you for everything, Bob! Big hugs to you, my friend!"
"Thanks for taking me to the German Degrees in Milwaukee. Es geht gut, Bob! Dennis Boyer"