Angela Burger

Angela Sutherland Burger (Brown), a long time resident of Wausau, WI, died Friday March 24 after a prolonged illness, at a Florida Hospital in Celebration, Florida. She was 80 years old.

Born July 9, 1936 in Charlotte, North Carolina, the daughter of John Bass Brown Jr, and Angela Whitley Brown (Whitley), Angela attended Southern Seminary, graduated from Furman University in 1958, and was awarded a PhD in Political Science in 1966 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Over her 40 year career as a Professor of Political Science, Angela taught several courses at the University of Wisconsin Marathon Center campus. Her students credited her with expanding their world view, and she gave multiple local TV and newspaper interviews. An prolific author of a two-volume book on political science (Opposition in a Dominant Party System: A Study of the Jan Sangh, Praja Socialist
and Socialist Parties in Utter Pradesh, India) as well as numerous research papers, Angela was an invited speaker to conferences around the world and served as an expert consultant for various agencies in the US government, particularly regarding her knowledge of the drug trade in India and Sri Lanka. Following her retirement, she continued her research and was recognized as a Professor Emerita by the University of Wisconsin.

An adventurous spirit and life long learner, Angela set an example of how to live a full life. Raising five children and with a full time teaching career, she learned how to raise sheep on the side. Although she had no background in agriculture, she became a competent sheep producer who shared her knowledge and skills with others, including shearing sheep, mixing feed, building feeders and gates, and performing obstetrics and surgery.

An accomplished chef, Angela continually created gourmet dishes including traditional recipes from India, Sri Lanka, and Europe, particularly several Czech specialties which were childhood favorites of her husband Josef. She loved family holidays and dinner table conversations. Preparing complex and delicious meals to share with her family, such as the annual seven-course fish dinner for Christmas Eve, were some of her favorite things. She taught her children to prepare these family recipes, and even her grandchildren enjoyed her culinary passion.

Angela loved traveling and after retirement expanded this love, planning elaborate trips around the world with husband Josef and other family members as possible. She particularly enjoyed annual spring visits and meeting friends at timeshares in the Cayman Islands, Mexico and Florida.

Angela loved a wide range of music, particularly The Beatles. She liked to sing and made up funny songs, for any purpose: from getting her children out of bed, handling sheep on the farm, or simply expressing joy and beauty in life. A member of the First Presbyterian Church in Wausau, she particularly treasured her time as a choir member.

Quilting was another love that she was able to devote more time to in her later years, creating many stunning pieces and appreciating the camaraderie of other artists through membership in the Pine Tree Quilters Club. Angela was a voracious reader of many genres, but was particularly fond of science fiction stories that discussed current events in politics, and she shared this love with her children. She enjoyed gardening, liking equally the beauty and scent of flowers, as well as providing a bounty of fresh produce for her cooking creations and her family.

A loving wife and mother, Angela is survived by her devoted husband of 57 years, Josef; their five children Josef of Madison, WI, Karina (Tim) O'Brien) of Cokato, MN, John of Madison, WI, Charles (Tara) of Wausau, WI and Victoria of Green Bay, WI; and sisters Mary Redfearn (Brown, Chesterfield, SC) and Joan Murray (Brown, Tucker, GA); as well as nieces, nephews and other extended family members. She adored her five grand-children Elizabeth, Jack, Ryan, Alec, and Sophia.

A Celebration of Life Gathering will be held Saturday, April 1, 2017 from 12 until 2 p.m. at Cress Center, 6021 University Avenue, Madison, WI. A memorial service will be held in Wausau, WI in Spring/Summer 2017, date yet to be determined.

Please share your memories and photographs of Angela.

Cress Center
6021 University Ave.
Madison, WI 53705
608-238-8406