Douglas Yanggen

1931 - 2025

Douglas Yanggen

June 21, 1931 - March 8, 2025

Douglas Yanggen, 93, passed away peacefully at home Saturday, March 08, 2025. Douglas was born in 1931, in Milwaukee, to Helen Yanggen (Hausmann) and Joseph Yanggen. He moved to Madison (Fitchburg), Wis. when he was seven years old and lived on the small family dairy farm on the outskirts of town and attended a one-room elementary school. He graduated from Edgewood High School and received a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning and a Law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He served his country as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, posted in Japan. After a brief stint working for the State of Kentucky in Frankfurt, he returned to Madison, Wis. and worked the rest of his career as a Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Department of Agricultural Economics. He worked for the UW extension outreach service primarily advising state and local governments on legal aspects of natural resource management issues such as the conservation of wetlands, shorelines, and farmland. He won a national award for his innovations in Wisconsin land use policy influencing national approaches to natural resource management. He loved walking in nature identifying birds, wildflowers, mushrooms and the like. He was known for his sharp wit, frequently composing humorous limericks, poems, songs and quips and late in life even dabbled in stand up comedy to the delight of friends and family. He traveled far and wide overseas in Asia, Europe and Latin America. He equally loved traveling in the United States, his home State of Wisconsin and regularly returning to cities such as New Orleans, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. He was inseparable from his soul mate Ellen Fisher for the last 42 years of his life. His brilliant mind, eclectic interests and humor touched and influenced those around him. He will be sorely missed by those who knew and loved him. He is survived by his sons, Steven (Keiko) and David (Sonia); and daughter, Julie (Allan); and his grandsons, Allan and Daniel. He was preceded in death by his brother, Russell Yanggen.

A private family memorial will be held. Please share a memory or condolence for Douglas' family at www.cressfuneralservice.com.

Cress Funeral Home and Cremation Services

3610 Speedway Road

Madison, WI 53705

608-238-3434