Portrait of Walter Zeit

Dr. Zeit was born in Medford, Wisconsin. He received his basic education there. At twenty years of age he entered Marquette University intending to enter medical school. The first degree he received was a B.S. degree in 1925. He continued at Marquette and subsequently received a Master of Science degree in 1927 and a Ph.D. in philosophy in 1939. In order to pay for his education, Dr. Zeit began working in the anatomy department of the medical school in 1921 as a “studies assistant”. He continued to serve the anatomy department and medical education for sixty years in various capacities. He chaired the Department of Anatomy for twenty years (1947-1967) and also served as Associate Dean from 1954 to 1968. Dr. Zeit was a gifted research scientist, publishing 37 Papers and abstracts during his career. His interests were nerve fibers and the fiber/muscles junction. Dr. Zeit lectured every year up to his retirement, influencing thousands of medical students and other health care professionals over his time at Marquette, later the Medical College of Wisconsin. He remained in place during three medical school name changes and worked in three different buildings under five Deans. The Walter Zeit Fellowship was formed in 1980 to honor Dr. Zeit. The Society was to function as a recognition society to promote member fellowship and support the Medical College of Wisconsin and to allow the school to acknowledge their support. Sources: Engbring, Norman H. An Anchor for the Future: a history of the Medical College of Wisconsin, 1893-1990. Medical College of Wisconsin, 1991. pps. 351, 429; Dr. Walter Zeit. Marquette Medical Review. 18(2)63-5, 1952.; Funeral program for Walter Zeit, PhD. Medical College of Wisconsin, 1991.