Maurice Webb

Maurice Barnett Webb, “Barney”

Dr. Barney Webb passed peacefully at the Brookdale Century Avenue assisted living facility in Middleton, WI.  Dr. Webb was a world-renown Emeritus Professor of Physics on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, his alma mater (BS 1950, PhD 1956), up until his retirement in 2001. Barney and his wife Fran raised their family in Madison, in a house on Baker Avenue where Barney remained living happily and independently until he was 93, independently but not alone, having a humane-society- rescued Lab-mix at his side most of the time.

Barney loved tent-camping and hiking with his family, woodworking, racing M-20 sailboats on Lake Mendota, golfing, his office, his lab in the basement of Sterling Hall, his graduate students, physics department colleagues, The Badgers, loudly sharing his political opinions with the TV screen, and keeping track of his grandkids as they grew up. Dr. Webb’s professional career produced significant scientific achievements and advancements, as recognized by his being awarded the prestigious Davisson-Germer Prize in Atomic or Surface Physics in 1987. But Barney measured his own professional success by the great number of amazing people he had the opportunity to work with over the course of his career. Every year, Barney and Fran hosted his many lab mates and their families for a Christmas tree-trimming party, which brought friends and ornaments from all over the world in to the Webb house, as well as someone tall enough to help decorate the top of the tree. He will be very much missed by his family and scores of those whose lives were so positively impacted by the time they spent with Barney Webb.

Barney is survived by his 3 children and 6 grandchildren.

Memorial plans to be determined.

Cress Center

6021 University Ave. Madison

(608) 238-8406