Remembering ECE Professor Emeritus William C. Zarnstorff

William “Bill” Zarnstorff (BS’59, MS’62, PhD’70), a respected researcher and educator in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, passed away June 17, 2024. He was 91 years old.

Born in Walworth County, Wisconsin, Zarnstorff attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison on the GI Bill and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering and a PhD in physiology. He joined the ECE faculty in 1970 and retired as a professor emeritus in 1994.

In addition to being a faculty member in ECE, Zarnstorff was a faculty member with the Department of Medical Physics and collaborator with the Department of Radiology. His research focused on advancing engineering applications in medicine. Zarnstorff specialized in medical science, concentrating on cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology, and made substantial contributions to the study of heart function, vascular biology, and the effects of medical interventions on cardiovascular health. Along with Frank N. Ranallo, he held a patent for Method and Apparatus for the Measurement of X-ray Sources, which according to the patent, “pertains generally to the field of devices which measure radiation and particularly to such devices used to measure the output radiation of X-ray machines.” He also held a second patent for a control circuit that controlled the distribution of electric power to multiple devices at different remote locations from a central control point, using a minimal number of conductors.

In 1990, Zarnstorff was the recipient of a Polygon Teaching Award presented by the Polygon Engineering Council, the College of Engineering’s council of student organizations. According to his obituary, “Bill’s true calling was teaching. Whether he was in the classroom or in his office holding office hours, students were his focus. He and many of his former students continued to keep in touch and with great pride he followed their careers.”

Cynthia McCollough (MS’86, PhD’91) was advised by Zarnstorff while in the Medical Physics graduate program and was also a student in his courses. McCollough remembers, “Dr. Zarnstorff taught in the diagnostic radiological physics course and covered high voltage generators and other electrical topics such as x-ray tubes. I knew him best, however, as a surrogate father to my husband and me (newlyweds) whenever things broke in our mobile home (which was quite frequently). There are some people who think they know everything (but don’t) and some people who do know just about everything (but never brag about it). Bill was the latter. He could fix just about anything. We have kept in touch with him all these years and will dearly miss Bill.”

While Zarnstorff’s impact on the field of electrical and computer engineering will continue through his professional contributions, his impact will also live on through generous ECE student support. In 2019, William and Beverly Zarnstorff and their immediate family established a scholarship fund to provide undergraduate support and promote a diverse student body within the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. According to the University of Wisconsin Foundation, “William credits his UW affiliation and education for providing him with a rewarding and fulfilling life and occupation. [The family’s] advice for beneficiaries of the scholarship is to ‘persevere’.” Gifts in memory of Professor Zarnstorff may be made payable to the “UW Foundation” with a note to direct contributions to the Zarnstorff Endowed Scholarship Fund (Engineering). Mail to UW Foundation, US Bank Lockbox Box 78807, Milwaukee, WI 53278-0807. Gifts to the “William and Beverly Zarnstorff University League Endowed Scholarship Fund – 132320015” can also be made online at Supportuw.org/ZarnstorffMemorial.

Top of page photo provided by UW–Madison Archives: March 1964, Doctors William C. Zarnstorff (left) and George Rowe (right), in surgical dress, use a heart x-ray machine on a patient;
Right photo provided by the family of William Zarnstorff;
Left photo credit: Jeff Miller, UW–Madison