Dr. Lee Allenstein - a true icon in the dairy world - passes away at 86

"The death of Dr, Leland "Lee" Allenstein is the end of an era, what he accomplished is unbelievable," says Clark Vilter, longtime Guernsey breeder and exhibitor at World Dairy Expo in regard to the October 22 passing of the Whitewater veterinarian. "He was one of he best veterinarians I ever knew and he was truly a people person."

Dr. Allenstein died peacefully at the Fairhaven Retirement Community at Whitewater at age 86, surrounded by his family.

His long career as a practicing veterinarian at Whitewater Veterinary Hospital, as the official veterinarian at World Dairy Expo for some 25 years, as a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine and as a Hoard's Dairyman columnist for 30 years brought him in close contact with dairy folks from around the world.

The boy from Lamont, Iowa received a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Iowa State University in 1950 and soon joined and purchased a veterinary practice in Whitewater, which grew as Whitewater Veterinary Hospital to the large mixed practice that includes seven veterinarians that it is today.

Dr. Allenstein served the dairy community - both dairy animals and the families that owned them - as a veterinarian, advisor and friend for 40 years.

In 1987 he became a clinical professor and later a faculty associate at the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine where he taught until 1994.

In 2005, the Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine's dairy teaching herd was renamed as the Dr. Leland Allenstein Dairy Teaching Herd. The 50-cow herd provides dairy experience to veterinary medical students in an increasingly urbanized world where fewer incoming students have a background in food animal agriculture. The herd is one of only four working, functional dairy teaching herds among the nation's 28 veterinary medical schools.

Exhibitors at World Dairy Expo knew Dr. Allenstein well as he served as official veterinarian of the prestigious dairy show for over 25 years. In that position he maintained the herd health of some of the dairy worlds most famous and valuable dairy cattle.

Dr. Rick Halverson worked with Lee Allenstein at the Whitewater Veterinary Hospital and World Dairy Expo. "I first met Dr. Allenstein when as an Oklahoma State Veterinary student, I came to Whitewater as an intern," Halverson remembers. "It was a January day when I knocked on his door. He took me into to his home for the three weeks and made me a member of his family." Halverson joined the Whitewater Veterinary Hospital after graduation and knew Allenstein as a coworker and friend. "Lee was one of those rare beings who genuinely cared about people," he says. "UW veterinary students would often ride with him on farm calls."

In 1993, Allenstein retired from active practice and having some health problems asked Halverson to assist him at World Dairy Expo. "He wanted to continue working at Expo," Halverson, who followed Allenstein as chief veterinarian at Expo, says. "And he came to Dairy Expo every year - even after he no longer treated animals - including this year." "Dr. Allenstein loved veterinary medicine and the dairy farmers he served," Halverson says. "He could remember every farm he visited, the cow he treated and where she stood in the barn. And, he was always up to date in the science of animal health."

And the dairy world recognized the impact he had on dairying as the long list of awards he received from those he worked with show. These include the top awards from World Dairy Expo, The UW-Madison College of Agriculture, National Dairy Shrine and American Veterinary Medical Association,

Dr. Lee Allenstein was a true icon in the dairy world and will be long remembered by those he touched during his 86 years.

His survivors include, sons Steve (Karen), Scott (Donna) and daughter Carla (Dan Roh) Allenstein.

Visitation will be at 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., Oct. 28 at the Nitardy Funeral Home, Whitewater and from 9 to 11 a.m., Oct. 29, at First English Church in Whitewater.