Walter Dobrogosz
September 3, 1933 - August 4, 2023
Raleigh, North Carolina - Walter Dobrogosz, 89, of Raleigh, NC, died peacefully at Springmoor Health Center, on August 4, 2023. He was born in Albion, PA, on September 3, 1933.
Walter grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania with his parents, Walter and Mary Dobrogosz and his three sisters Vera, Mary Jane and Rose. Walter graduated from Academy High School in 1951, where he met his future wife Donna Jean Bartone. The high school sweethearts were married on August 22, 1953 and would have celebrated their 70th anniversary in a few weeks. Walter and Donna had four children (Steve, Karen, Mike and Glenn), nine grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Walter received his B.S., Masters and Ph.D. degrees in bacteriology and biochemistry from Penn State University. Walter completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Illinois before moving to Raleigh, NC in 1962 to start his new position as Professor of Microbiology at North Carolina State University. In 1983, Walter received a Fulbright Fellowship to study in Uppsala, Sweden where he, and his Swedish colleague Sven Lindgren, conducted research suggesting a highly beneficial probiotic. Walter and his fellows would later obtain patents to market L. reuteri and founded Probiologics International (PBI) in 1987. The company would later be purchased by public investors and the name changed to BioGaia.
In addition to his life's dedication to research and teaching science, Walter loved being with his family and enjoyed many trips to Holden Beach, NC and Erie, PA. Walter was also a lifelong athlete who, for most of his adult life, played handball and won multiple state tournaments. Later in life, Walter and Donna enjoyed traveling and took dozens of cruises around the world. In 2013, he fulfilled his wife's lifelong dream and took his entire family on an Italian cruise.
Walter was a strong, family patriarch, who, despite a strong independent streak, had a soft spot for his children and grandchildren. Perhaps more than anything, he enjoyed being around the dinner table, enjoying a glass of wine, his wife's Italian cooking, and great conversation with his family. In his true, scientific fashion, he would often remind everyone of his favorite line – that questions are more important than the answers.
Walter is preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Mary Dobrogosz, his sister Vera Rodgers, and his wife Donna Dobrogosz.
Walter is survived by his four children and their spouses, Steve Dobrogosz and Katarina Fritzen of Stockholm, Sweden, Karen Dobrogosz and Robert Wilson of Micaville, NC, Mike and Lisa Dobrogosz of Norris, TN, and Glenn and Tonya Dobrogosz of Greensboro, NC; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Walter is also survived by his two sisters Mary Jane Brennan and Rose Gray.
A Memorial Service will take place at a later date in Erie, Pennsylvania. In lieu of flowers, please send any donations to the Walter Dobrogosz Science Scholarship Fund at the Greensboro Science Center.

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Published by The News & Observer from Aug. 5 to Aug. 6, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for Walter Dobrogosz

Sponsored by Renaissance Funeral Home.

10 Entries

Plant & Microbial Biology Dept

Planted Trees

Debbie Slone

August 10, 2023

I am so blessed to have been a part of Walter´s life, in his latter part of life, at Springmoor. I was blessed to call him friend. He enjoyed my crazy greeting in the morning, let me know if my science joke was worth hearing, and more. We were like comedians who had a comedic and a straight man. Of course Walter was the straight man. We had serious conversations too. Walter, and Donna, will forever be in my heart. I am blessed to have known them both!
Debbie Slone

Bill Hardin

August 9, 2023

Met Walt and Ray Fornes as a sophomore at NCSU in 1972. They came to me and recommended that I join the YMCA and play handball with them on the official sized courts rather than NCSU courts that were 4' short. They had been out of state playing in a tournament and I was the surprise and first time undergraduate winner of the NCSU handball championship. They were surprised and enjoyed that I defeated all of the athletic coaches, professors, and graduate students in their absence. They came to me and introduced themselves and and though a married kid with a young daughter with a part time job I did indeed join the YMCA to play with them. We played in tournaments from SC to Washington. They treated me as a son. They joked, picked and laughed at me and enjoyed the same coming from me. Walt and Ray were brilliant and highly competitive. They were the greatest influence on my young life and I admired both, along with their wives (Jerri & Donna) and the host of great friends that they brought me into (John Carbone, Col. Clark, Jimmy Magner, Richard Glick, Larry Ford, Jackie Murdock, Joe Lee & Poncho....so many more). Now over 50 years later these tears of joy flow so easily thinking of the handball days with Walt (4 of us shared a room in Norfolk....he gave me the springs & one of the beds and he slept in the bath tub). Walt and Ray seemed joined at the hip (brilliant, very good athletes, extremely competitive, and jokesters. I have loved them dearly since I was 19 years old. Bill Hardin

Roger Thompson

August 7, 2023

I only knew Walt on the handball court. He was a great handball player, a good sportsman! May he rest in Peace.

Sophia Kathariou

August 7, 2023

I am fortunate to have interacted with Dr. Dobrogosz as a fellow microbiologist at North Carolina State University. He was a gifted and charismatic colleague. May he rest in Peace.

Raymond Fornes

August 6, 2023

I first encountered Walt in the fall of 1966 during my second year of graduate studies at NCSU. I had decided I needed to spend some time each day spent on a physical activity and got hooked on competitive handball. Being quite competitive, I began seeking potential players at NCSU and would often walk by the handball courts where I spotted Walt playing a couple of times with another person. A few weeks later as I walked over to the Library, I encountered I Walt with a couple of others headed for morning coffee. I said hi to Walt and asked if were still playing handball. His response: "You Betcha!" I asked Walt if he would play a match with me, which he immediately accepted. Walt and I played hard-fought matches for more than 25 years never having one cross between us, became close family friends, traveled often with our wives to handball tournaments, played in doubles competitions and actually won quite a few tournament doubles championships including a state championship, several City of Raleigh Championships and numerous NCSU Championships.

Best of all was the close family friends that my wife and I had with Walt and Donna. They were such terrific hosts, always enjoyable to visit, always lively and with authentic Italian food carefully prepared by Donna and as scrumptious as any of the best restaurants I have eaten.

Walt was an excellent scientist who did fundamental pioneering work. As noted in his obituary, his cutting-edge work on bacteria led to the early pioneering of probiotics, which have been enormously beneficial to literally millions of people who take them regularly to aid in digestion. He enhanced the reputation of NC State, and he has left a fine legacy. He will be dearly missed.
Raymond Fornes

Roger Fites

August 5, 2023

I have many wonderful memories of our two families sharing a cottage in summer at the beach. During morning coffee breaks at State, the two of us would each bring one or two students from our respective labs for discussions of Science, which usually ended with something inane. Walt convinced a lefty to endure many of his handball serves and we competed during many basketball games. Unfortunately an over fifty year friendship between two couples ended abruptly. My very deepest condolences to the family, but especially to Steve, Karen, Mike, and Glenn. May the following words from an author, whose name I cannot now recall, help sustain all of you in your grief, "God gave us memories so that we might make roses in December." May all of you receive God's blessings, and with my love-- Roger

Roger Fites

August 5, 2023

It was an over fifty year friendship that unfortunately ended abruptly. I have many wonderful memories of the two families sharing a cottage during many summer years. "God gave us memories so that we might have roses in December."--- Author Unknown. I pray that Walt's beloved children will find continued solace in those words. With sincere condolences for all family members, but especially Steve, Karen, Mike, and Glenn, and may he find peace and blessings from God-- Roger

Suzanne Toler

August 5, 2023

I am so sorry to hear about Mr. Dobrogosz. I would sometimes help him get dress in the morning. Lord look over the Dobrogosz family as they heal

Mike Williams

August 5, 2023

I took a graduate microbiology course that Professor Dobrogosz taught at NCSU. (I recall that he tied each lecture to some theme from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland!) One of the best professors, teachers, researchers that I encountered during my career. A true scholar and great human being.

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