Paul J. Kaesberg

Madison -- Paul J. Kaesberg, age 87, died on Friday, December 24, 2010 surrounded by his family at his home in Madison. He was born on September 26, 1923 to Peter and Gertrude (Mueller) Kaesberg in Engers, Germany. Paul emigrated from Germany when he was 2 years old and settled in West Bend, Wisconsin. He attended Holy Angels grade school and graduated from West Bend High School. In 1948, Paul received his PhD in Physics from the University of Wisconsin -- Madison. He then joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin -- Madison, rising to become the W.W. Beeman Professor of Biochemistry. In 1975, he received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. Paul was a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, and a past President of the American Society of Virology. He received international recognition for his pioneering research on small viruses. In 1991, Paul was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. He was also honored by Professor Paul Ahlquist, who took the title Paul Kaesberg Professor of Biochemistry. In his later years, Paul had an interest in cosmology and the origin of the universe. He loved playing euchre with his grandchildren as well as playing bridge. Paul was a UW basketball season ticket holder for 69 years.

Paul is survived by his wife, Marian L. Kaesberg; his three sons, Paul R. (Helen Marie Rice) Kaesberg of Sacramento, California, James K. (Kathryn) Kaesberg of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and Peter R. Kaesberg of Madison; two grandchildren, Julia Loomis Kaesberg and Eric Joseph Kaesberg; as well as many cousins and extended family living in both Wisconsin and Germany. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at OAKWOOD VILLAGE WEST in the RESURRECTION CHAPEL, 6205 Mineral Point Road, Madison.

Memorials in Paul's name are suggested to the Oakwood Foundation, 6201 Mineral Point Road, Madison, WI 53705; First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Drive, Madison, WI 53705; or to UW Stem Cell Research, c/o the UW Foundation, P.O. Box 8860, Madison, WI 53708-8860.

He was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather and will be missed very much.