Albert R. Erwin

Madison - Albert R. Erwin Jr. age 79, passed away on Tuesday, April 5, 2011, at Select Specialty Hospital in Madison. He was born on May 1, 1931, the son of Albert Sr. and Lois (Lee) Erwin in Charlotte, NC. Albert graduated from Concord High School in 1949 and Duke University, Summa Cum Laude in 1953 with a Physics Degree. He was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He went on to Harvard University earning his doctorate in 1959. Albert joined the faculty at the University of Wisconsin as assistant professor in 1959 and became a full professor in in 1965. He spent his entire professional career at Wisconsin retiring in 2005.

Albert's research has been in the field of experimental high energy particle physics. He has carried out a number of experiments at national laboratories over the 40 year span of his activities. Albert trained 13 PhD graduate students, many of whom have had very active research careers.

He belonged to Fellows of American Physical Society and member of its Division of the Particles & Fields, Member of Fermilab and Brookhaven Lab Users Organizations, Albert was also a member of Stokes Masonic Lodge, Concord, NC.

Albert is survived by his wife, Denise Morchand-Erwin; a daughter, Christa Erwin; grandchildren, Neva, Byron and Cora; and nephews, Nathan Lee Sweet and Jon Sweet.

Albert was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Mary Jane and a sister, Emily Sweet.

A funeral service will be held at ADVENT LUTHERAN CHURCH, 7118 Old Sauk Rd., Madison, on Saturday, April 16, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. with Rev. Jeff Wild officiating. A visitation will be held at the church on Saturday from 12:00 noon until the time of service.

Memorials may be made to Albert Erwin Scholarship Fund, UW Dept. of Physics.