Roland "Doc"

R. Liebenow, M.D.

Roland "Doc" R. Liebenow M.D., Lake Mills, passed away on Friday, December 2, 2016, at Lilac Springs in Lake Mills.

He was born on September 17, 1922 in London, WI, the only child of Rudolph and Elma (Loper) Liebenow.

Upon graduation from Lake Mills High School in 1940, he went to the UW-Madison where he earned his B.S. Degree in 1944. A 1948 graduate of the UW Medical School, Dr. Liebenow worked on several research projects and was a teaching assistant in Anatomy in the medical school. After serving his internship at Colorado General Hospital in Denver, he was in private practice in Stevens Point in 1949 and in Lake Mills from 1950 to 1967.

He spent two years stationed in Japan as a Captain in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955, serving as a medical officer.

On May 5, 1950, Doc married Martha Ellen Anderson in Washington, PA. She died on June 13, 2016.

In 1967 he joined Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. as Assistant Medical Director, and was promoted to Associate Medical Director in 1978. In 1975 he was appointed to the faculty of the Medical College of Wisconsin as Clinical Instructor in Family Practice and as Clinical Assistant Professor in 1979. In 1982 he became Vice President and Medical Director of CUNA Mutual Insurance Group.

For 25 years, Dr. Liebenow wrote articles on the history of Lake Mills that were published in the Lake Mills Leader. He collected these in two books, and published a book on the paintings of Martha Liebenow.

Always busy, he won awards for his stamp collection, spoke about the history of round barns in the Midwest, took photographs of nature, and served on countless local committees. He loved Lake Mills and worked tirelessly to improve its community.

Dr. Liebenow was a member and past president of the Jefferson County Medical Society, member of the Wisconsin State Medical Society and a delegate to its House of Delegates 1979-1985, as well as a member of its Federal Legislative Committee and the Committee on Aging and Extended Care Facilities (Chairman beginning in 1983).
He was a staff member of Fort Atkinson Memorial Hospital and served as vice chief of staff, Watertown Memorial Hospital where he was chief of staff, and Good Samaritan Hospital in Milwaukee. He belonged to the American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, Society of Prospective Medicine, and the Aerospace Medical Association (qualified as an aviation medical examiner for the Federal Aviation Authority since 1959). He was a diplomat of the American Board of Family Medicine and the Board of Life Insurance Medicine, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. A member of the Association of Life Insurance Medical Directors of America and the Midwest Medical Directors Association, he was also a member of the Federal Legislation Committee, Medical Section, of the American Council of Life Insurance.

As a member of the Wisconsin Medical Alumni Association he was class representative from 1980 until recently, and in 1985 was elected to its Board of Directors.

Dr. Liebenow was a member of the Board of Elders of the Lake Mills Moravian Church, Institutional Representative of the Boy Scout troop, active in the American Legion, on the Board of Trustees of Marquardt Manor Nursing Home (1963-1973) and president from 1970 to 1972, and a member of Madison West Rotary Club.

In 1972 he was Alumnus of the Year of Lake Mills School Alumni Association.

He is included in Who's Who in the Midwest, 1978-1985 and Who's Who in Insurance.

In 2015 Dr. Liebenow was awarded a veteran certificate by the Boy Scouts of America for his 65 years of service to that group.

He is survived by his children, Linda Martin (Dennis) Griffee of Lake Mills, Mark (Marcia Henry) Liebenow of Peoria, IL, Kurt (Kathy) Liebenow of Watertown; six grandchildren, Mandy Martin, Katie (Donald) Schwebs, Kyla Martin, Mari (Jacob) Caster, Aisha Liebenow, Eli Liebenow; five step grandchildren, Allison Gothard, Jared Gothard, Dennis (Meg) Griffee, Jr., Melissa Griffee, Holly Griffee; four great grandchildren, Kaeden Caster, Naiya Caster, Jaxon Schwebs, Tinley Schwebs; six step great grandchildren, Xander Griffee, Justice Griffee, Dennis Griffee III, Taylor Sand, Jarred Sand, Kelsey Schwebs; as well as by other relatives and friends.

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 17, 2016 at the Lake Mills Moravian Church with the Rt. Rev. Paul Graf officiating.

Friends may call after 8:30 a.m. on Saturday at the church until the time of services.

Private Family Burial will be in Rock Lake Cemetery.

If desired, memorials may be made to the Boy Scouts of America or to Lake Mills Moravian Church.

www.claussenfuneralhome.com