Hanna Rose Sobkowicz

MADISON - Dr. Hanna Maria Sobkowicz, age 87, passed away at her home in Madison, WI, on March 31, 2018. She is survived by Andrejz (brother), Jadwiga (sister-in-law), Jerzy (nephew), and Tomasz (great-nephew). She is preceded in death by her husband Jerzy (Rose) and by her parents Stanislaw and Jadwiga.
Hanna received her M.D. degree in 1954 and her PhD in 1962 from Warsaw Medical Academy in Poland. Hanna was a research fellow at Mt. Sinai Hospital, Columbia University, in New York City from 1963-1966. As a highly respected researcher in neurology, Hanna came to the University of Wisconsin as an associate professor in 1966. She became a full professor in 1979 and was a pioneer in the understanding of growth and development of neurons. During her career, she published many influential discoveries and was groundbreaking as the first woman professor in the Department of Neurology at the UW.
Hanna was a great lover of dogs, horses, and all animals. She was devoted to trees, flowers, and nature, an avid gardener, and an accomplished keeper of orchids. She will be missed by her beloved dog, Mimi, and horse, Jente, who are being cared for on a farm in Oregon, WI.
Hanna will be remembered for her keen intellect, her irrepressible sense of humor, and for her great generosity to charitable organizations and the environment. She will be missed by her family, her friends and neighbors, and the many students that she guided in pursuit of science and understanding.
A memorial gathering to honor Hanna will be held on May 20th, 2018, from 1 - 4 pm at the Town of Verona Community Room. The Town of Verona Community Room is located at 7669 County Hwy PD, Verona, WI 53593. . Donations in memory of Dr. Hanna Sobkowicz can be made to the Dane County Humane Society or to the International Crane Foundation.