David W. Tarr

Professor David W. Tarr, emeritus professor of Political Science, Univ. of Wisconsin, died on August 3, 2025 at Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community. Born in Melrose, Mass, 1931, his education included a B.A. in Government at the Univ. of Massachusetts and following two years as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, an M.A. and PhD. in Political Science at the University of Chicago. He taught at Amherst College and Mount Holyoke College (1958-59), then served as a National Defense Analyst in the Congressional Research Service in Washing, D.C. (1959-62)

In 1963 he joined the Political Science faculty at the Univ. of Wisconsin in Madison, where he remained for the rest of his career. Among many roles, he served as chairman of his department, was a research fellow at Harvard University and chaired Wisconsin Athletic Board 1977-1987. His publications included American Strategy in the Nuclear Age (1966) and Nuclear Deterrence and International Security (1991) He also served as Director of the Center for International Cooperation and Security Studies.

He was an ardent sports participant throughout his life, enjoying bicycling, sailing, cross county skiing and “Old Timers” hockey in his prime adult years. In his retirement Professor Tarr took up downhill skiing, horseback riding and golf.

He met his future wife on a ski lift. They were married on the beach at Sanibel Island in 2006. They moved to Deerfield retirement community in 2013, where he was famous for writing and reading non-fiction stories, dancing, and singing Karaoke. His memoir Not Strictly Academic was published in 2017. His book of short stories, Sentimental Journey was published in 2017.

Survivors include his wife, Mary (Mimi) Petermann Merrill of Asheville, NC, his two children Susan Kendall Inglese (Vincent) of Lynnfield, MA, David Bryant Tarr, of Auburn, AL, and their families. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles H Tarr and Pauline Huntress Tarr, his sister, Judy T. Newcombe, his brother, Charles Howard Tarr, and the mother of his children, Carol Huntress Tarr.

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