George Friedrich Wilhelm Haenlein

George Friedrich Wilhelm Haenlein, died on April 8, 2023, in Ona, West Virginia. He was the son of the late Albrecht Haenlein and Elizabeth von Kameke.

He was born on October 27, 1927, in Mannheim, Germany. He came to the US in September 1951 on a scholarship to the University of Delaware. He met the love of his life of 68 years, Elizabeth Zeitler, when he bicycled to visit a prominent dairy farm of a German immigrant family in Glasgow, Delaware. “Lizzy” was the farmer’s daughter. He returned to Germany to finish his doctorate degree then came back a year later to marry Lizzy.

They raised five children on their farmette near Glasgow. George is survived by four of them: Teddy, his wife, Nancy; Sue, her husband, Tony Brubaker; Alice, her husband, Fred Nyhuis; Walter, his wife, Allyson. Additional family include 14 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, a sister, Dorothea Kreutz, and a nephew, Achim von Kameke, both living in Germany. George’s wife, Lizzy, and son, Carlie, preceded him in death.

George was a professor at the University of Delaware in the Department of Animal and Food Science; he worked there for 43 years. He was also the Delaware State Dairy Extension Specialist in charge of Delaware Dairy Herd Improvement (DHIA) and supervisor of the university’s dairy herd. In 1972 he received a second doctorate from the University of Wisconsin in dairy science. His involvement with goats opened the doors for much international travel and research. In his lifetime, he published hundreds of articles in various scientific and industry journals; he was the co-author of 4 industry books, and authored the Goat Extension Handbook. George was the founding editor- in-chief of the Small Ruminant Research Journal and charter member of the International Goat Association.

His lust for knowledge never stopped when he left the university at age 75. Well into his 90’s, he continued working regularly writing and editing articles for peer-reviewed journals.

George and Lizzy worshipped at St Paul’s Lutheran Church while they lived in Delaware. When they moved to Ona, WV they enjoyed the many church groups that volunteer at their assisted living home, Paramount.

His greatest joy was always his family. The annual family butchering was one of his most memorable times when he never missed a chance to pass along his knowledge by giving his grandchildren a class on animal anatomy.

A service to celebrate the life of George will be held at Allen Funeral Home, Hurricane, WV at 10am on Saturday, April 15, 2023. Visitation with the family will precede the funeral at 9am.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial contributions be made to the University of Delaware’s Dairy Scholarship via the university’s secure website: www.udel.edu/makeagift, listing “Dairy Scholarship in memory of George Haenlein” in the special instructions section.

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