Hegmann, Joseph Paul

Joseph Paul Hegmann, 71, of Iowa City, formerly of Ainsworth, died Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011, at Mercy Iowa City following a long tradition in his family. There will be a private gathering in remembrance of Joseph.

Rather than flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be given to Local Foods Connection () or Iowa Public Radio.

Online condolences may be sent for his family through the Web at

Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service of Iowa City is caring for Joseph's family and his arrangements.

Joseph was born Sept. 26, 1940, to Pauline Shafer of Tallula, Ill., and Glen Milstead of Ashland, Ill. He was raised in Champaign, Ill., by his adoptive parents, Fred and Thelma Hegmann, upon adoption from an orphanage at age eight. His sisters by adoption are Celia Pratt and Kathye Hancock.

Joseph earned his bachelor's degree in psychology in 1962, his master's degree in dairy science in 1966, and a doctoral degree in genetics in 1968, all from the University of Illinois at Urbana. Before doing graduate work, he served in the U.S. Army with the 5th Infantry Division at Camp Carson, Colo., after basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1967.

Dr. Hegmann served as professor of biology at the University of Iowa from 1968 through 1985, when he was disabled by a heart attack and stroke. While at the University of Iowa, he taught Behavioral Genetics, Experimental Design and Analysis, and Quantitative Genetics at the graduate level and Evolution and Biology at the undergraduate level. Dr. Hegmann directed the Neural and Behavioral Sciences program at the University of Iowa for 10 years and for eight years served in an advisory capacity to the National Institute of Mental Health.

He served as secretary of the International Behavioral Genetics Association. He published over 100 scientific papers and served as an editor for a 12-volume series of books in behavioral biology and for the Journal of Behavioral Biology. He considered his greatest academic legacy to be his doctoral students.

After his academic career Joseph started a small computer business, Impressions Custom Computers, and was also an active volunteer with the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

In his spare time, Joe continually followed his curiosity and filled his life with new challenges: cello lessons, fly fishing, advances in computer technology, astronomy, boating, skiing, forestry, progressive politics, knot tying … and he never met a challenge he wasn't willing to take on. He loved the company of his four-legged friends who brought him great comfort.

Joseph was preceded in death by his natural and adoptive parents, and his adoptive sister, Celia Pratt.

He is survived by his wife, Julie; adoptive sister, Kathye; daughters, Theresa Hegmann (Matthew Lang), Cynthia Murphy and Rebecca (Jerry) Richardson; and grandchildren, Natasha Hegmann, Heather Murphy, Nicholas and Nathan Richardson.

Joe was a great man who touched many lives in profound ways.

Published Dec. 3, 2011, in The Gazette