John Goodwin Webster

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Cornell University University of Wisconsin

John Webster Obituary

John Goodwin Webster

May 27, 1932 - March 29, 2023

MADISON - John Goodwin Webster, age 90, passed away peacefully with family by his side on March 29, 2023. He was born May 27, 1932, and grew up in Westfield, NJ.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Franklin Folger Webster, Sr. and Emily Sykes Boody Webster; a brother, Franklin Folger Webster, Jr.; a granddaughter, Eidan Webster Bray; and a great-granddaughter, Imogen Nora Bray.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Nancy Egan Webster; by his brother, David Endicott Webster (spouse Carole) of Nantucket, MA; sister-in-law, Betty Webster (widow of Franklin Folger Webster, Jr.) of South Carolina; as well as four children: Paul Webster (spouse Nora) of Portland, OR, Robin Minton (spouse Michael) of Hauula, HI, Mark Webster (spouse Linda) of Fitchburg, WI, and Lark Ryan (John Manns, fiance) of Portland OR. John is also survived by six grandchildren: Kyle Webster (spouse Naomi) of Portland, OR, (Geneva Chao, mother of Kyle's two children Laurens and Verena),Michelle Bray (widow of Eidan) of South Glastonbury, CT, Moana Meadow (spouse Isaac) of Richmond, CA, Lea Minton of Hauula, HI, Trevor Minton (spouse Anna) of El Sobrante, CA, Joel Webster (spouse Michelle) of Fitchburg, WI, and Rachael Favors (spouse Jeremy) of Madison, WI. John is also survived by ten great-grandchildren: Laurens Chao, Verena Chao, and Thelo Chao (Thelo's father is Gerard Falla) of Los Angeles, CA, Isabel Webster and Chloe Webster of Fitchburg, WI, Spring Meadow of Richmond, CA, Elena Minton and Hazel Minton of El Sobrante, CA, Cameren Favors of Madison, WI, and Gemma Bray of South Glastonbury, CT.

John met Nancy Egan at Cornell University in 1952. After their university graduation, John, with his Electrical Engineering B.S., spent a year in Munich, Germany on a Fulbright Fellowship. He and Nancy married in 1954. After working in industry positions, John earned an NIH Fellowship and acquired his Ph.D. at the University of Rochester, NY, in 1967. They moved with their four children to Madison, WI, where John spent 50 years of enjoyable teaching and research in biomedical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He edited an encyclopedia and 26 textbooks on biomedical engineering. One of his textbooks, Medical Instrumentation Application and Design, is now in its 5th edition. John served on several boards, evaluated NIH grants, was awarded patents and frequently served as an expert witness. His many awards included his 2019 IEEE Lifetime Achievement Award. John greatly enjoyed travel to more than 50 countries for conferences and invited lectures, in addition to personal travels. He often hosted family reunions overseas for his growing family. Two of his favorite family reunion locales were biking the length of the Moselle River for a month, and cruising through Wales in narrowboats.

A celebration of life will be held at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to UW Foundation for the Department of Biomedical Engineering, First Unitarian Society, Agrace Hospice Care or a charity of your choice.

Remembrances may be posted at https://memorials.fosterfuneralhomes.com/john-webster/5166876/index.php.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Madison.com on Apr. 7, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for John Webster

3 Entries

James Taylor

April 22, 2023

I heard so many wonderful unknown stories about Carolyn after she died. This makes me want to share a special one about John Webster.
UW-Madison was the first university to create a Teaching Academy nearly 30 years ago, and John became an early Fellow. The mission of the Academy was to provide a forum to share teaching ideas in the same way research ideas were. Madison had may gifted and outstanding teachers and researchers but little teacher recognition and little opportunity to share teaching ideas.
John tackled a needed area for the Academy - the Peer Review of Teaching. He designed it to be an easy, non-fear, and very effective approach to improve the teaching of all types of instructors by providing useful feedback from peers who were not in the instructor´s department. John´s approach was to determine the instructor´s mission and see how the syllabus and tests connected with that mission, to observe a typical class in session for 40 of the 50-minute period, and to solicit student comments on their learning experience anonymously for 10 minutes in the absence of the instructor. John´s approach to Peer Review was shared with other institutions in the UW System, at many other universities, and with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching at Stanford. John´s approach provided a confidential and highly useful evaluation that could be used early in an instructor´s career. It became a supplement to the normal Teaching Evaluation completed by students each semester.

Michael Schuler

April 8, 2023

Trina and I were surprised and saddened to learn of John´s passing. He was a highly accomplished but also family oriented man whose thirty year friendship we both cherished.

Misty (Davis) Johnson, MSc

April 8, 2023

Dr. Webster was an integral member of my Masters thesis committee in May 2000 at UW-Madison. My thesis involved the relationships between changes in the physical characteristics and the milking performance of the aging milking liner.
My investigation involved not only material characteristics of the liner, but the impact on the cow´s teat and edema it may cause. This relationship between animal and machine is where Dr. Webster´s biomedical expertise was essential to my research.
Dr. Website was a kind and knowledgeable man. I´m glad I got the opportunity to work with and learn from him. I send you my prayers for peace and strength during this difficult time.

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