Donald Layton Soucie

Donald Layton Soucie    Donald Layton Soucie (92) of Milwaukee, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Monday, December 2, 2019. He was born to the late William and Lilly Soucie. Don was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Joan (Legath), of nearly 69 years, just four months to the day. The two met as teenagers while participating in playground activities at Burnham Park on Milwaukee’s Southside.   Don is survived by his six children, Denise (Phil) Reichel, Laurent (Wendy), Kevin, Guy, Michelle (Joseph) Waller, and Nanette (Michael) Karges. Grandchildren include Manoel, Luciana, Kyle, Sans, Remie, Urszula (Matt), Nicolaj, Cutter, Mack, Buck, Chad, and Amanda.    Don attended Walker Junior High School, Milwaukee Boys Technical High School and graduated from Milwaukee South Division High School. During his high school years, Don overcame the effects of childhood polio to become a boxer for the Eagles Club where he was runner-up in the Golden Gloves Finals.    After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy at Great Lakes and was stationed on the USS Wachapreague. His skipper nicknamed him "Shakespeare" because he was a voracious reader of books while on the ship.    After the Navy, Don attended Whitewater State Teachers' College where he received his bachelor's degree in 1951. He got his first teaching assignment at Milwaukee Juneau High School in 1954 as a Social Studies teacher and head wrestling coach. Don trained Juneau's first ever state wrestling champion. After eight years at Juneau, Don transferred to Milwaukee Pulaski High School where he taught from 1962-1989 and served as chairman of the Social Studies Department.  He proudly inspired civic awareness in many students. To support his growing family in the early years, Don also sold insurance and worked third-shift in the breweries during summer breaks, while Joan held things together at home.   Although his boxing days were over, Don never stopped being a fighter.  He served on the Citizens’ Urban Renewal Committee from 1959 to 1962 under Mayor Frank Zeidler.  He quickly rose up in the union ranks fighting for collective bargaining rights, smaller classroom sizes, improved safety for teachers, and more educational freedom.  Don was elected president of the Milwaukee Teachers Union and the Wisconsin Federation of Teachers.  He was also elected to the executive board of the Milwaukee County Labor Council.  In these roles, Don realized his mission to change the general perception of teaching and helped mold it into a more respectable and higher paying profession.   It was Don’s growing clout in the labor movement that caught the attention of an ambitious, young Senator from Massachusetts.  John F. Kennedy requested a meeting with Don during an upcoming campaign visit to Wisconsin in 1959, however, Don and Joan were already committed to supporting one of JFK’s colleagues, Senator Hubert Humphrey.  Don and JFK eventually did meet at Mitchell Field in 1960 after Humphrey dropped out of the presidential race.   Civic action and political involvement were part of Don’s DNA.  He and Joan became active in the Democratic Party at the local unit level and political campaigns were often run out of the Soucie home.  During the 1968 Wisconsin presidential primary, about 20 out of town college student canvassers for Eugene McCarthy camped out in sleeping bags on the Soucie basement and living room floors.  McCarthy won the primary.   In 1963, Don was appointed to the Wisconsin Board of Regents by Governor John Reynolds.  After leaving the board, Don became the first former regent to earn a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin system.   To Don, family always came first.  Around the house, he was not much of a handyman, but it was at home where he taught his children the importance of education, community involvement, standing up against injustices, and being “a good citizen”.  It was in the backyard where he showed his children how to put a spiral on a forward pass, how to throw a baseball, and how to defend themselves against bullies.   Don, or more fondly known as Grandpa Dog, loved watching his children and grandchildren at sporting events and music recitals. He was a great lover of Jazz, (especially Erroll Garner), playing the piano, reading historical biographies, health articles, investment reports, and anything political.  He loved Henny Youngman one-liners and often repeated them to the groans of others.   Although he preferred to fly under the radar, Don Soucie’s influences will endure long after he is gone.   Visitation will be held on Saturday, December 14, 2019 at Max A. Sass & Sons Greenridge Chapel, Greenfield, WI from 9:00 a.m. until the time of remembrance at 11:00 a.m.  Burial to follow at Highland Memorial Park, New Berlin.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation or Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. The family would like to give special thanks to Clement Manor, Inc.