Wachholz, Dr. Duane “Dewey”

Dr. Duane “Dewey” Wachholz

Retired Extension Livestock Specialist

Dr. Duane “Dewey” Wachholz enjoyed a distinguished career in Animal Science Agriculture and was a well-known role model and teacher of 4-H clientele across the state of Wisconsin. He was a constant presence at county, district and state 4-H Livestock events for many years.  Whether it was Judging contests, leader training or youth shows, Dewey was there interacting with 4-H youth and adults. He got to know many of the youth who were interested in animal science and encouraged them to pursue further education. His warm personality and good sense of humor made him a popular Extension Specialist among the 4-H participants.

Dewey was a faculty member at UW-Platteville and UW-River Falls and a small percentage of his job (10-33%) included Extension responsibilities. Even though his Specialist job was only part-time, Dewey was always willing to work with 4-H and always gave more than was expected.

Dewey served as a Youth Livestock Specialist from 1974 until 2001. He played a key role in the development of Area Animal Science Days each one of those years, led 4-H leader training in the Meat Animal Livestock projects, consulted with many counties about their Livestock auctions and educational programs. He also was a resource for volunteers who coached judging teams.

Dewey has stated, “4-H was a tremendously valuable experience for me, not only as a teaching tool in my youthful days but also in my teaching career. The hands-on experiences were valuable in developing skills which could be used for a lifetime.”