Friday, December 15, 2023 | 10:30 AM
William F. “Bill” Schoenwetter, M.D. (88) passed away surrounded by loved ones after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. He is survived by his devoted wife of 63 years, Barbara; his children: Jeffrey M. Schoenwetter (Nancy), Laura L. Johnson (Brooks), and Charles J. Schoenwetter (Robin); his grandchildren: Anne L. Omdahl (Eric), Jon M. Schoenwetter, Alissa M. Johnson, Hunter F. Johnson, and Elizabeth “Betsy” Schoenwetter; his brother, James L. Schoenwetter, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, William M. Schoenwetter and his mother, Anne L. Schoenwetter. Raised in Emerald, WI, Bill earned his B.S. and M.D. from the University of WI where he fell in love with Barbara Barney. After completing his Internship at Hennepin County General Hospital in Minneapolis, they married in 1960. Bill completed an Internal Medicine Residency at the University of MN, followed by a NIH Fellowship in Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He was drafted into Active Duty in 1968. As a Captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Pennsylvania, he was awarded an Army Commendation Medal and served as both Chief of the Department of Hospital Clinics and as Chief of Allergy at Valley Forge General Hospital. After his Army service, Bill and his family returned to Minnesota where he was certified in Allergy & Immunology as well as Internal Medicine. He practiced medicine for 40 years and served as: Chief, Allergy Section at Hennepin County Medical Center; Medical Director, Asthma and Allergy Research Center at Park Nicollet; Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School; and as a consultant in allergic diseases at Brainerd Medical Center. Bill had a passion for research and continuing medical education. He published numerous scientific papers in leading medical journals and presented lectures all over the world. He served in local, state, and national roles in allergy societies and boards including: Chair, Ethics Committee at American Academy of Allergy; Board Chair, Med Center Health Plan; President, Minnesota Allergy Society; President and Board Chair, Hennepin Medical Society; Member, Editorial Board of MN Medicine; Member, Editorial Board of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; and board member at both Health Partners and Park Nicollet in St. Louis Park. He was a man of great faith and integrity, not easily swayed by changing times and values. He had a wry sense of humor, a wonderful smile, and enjoyed annual fishing and hunting trips. A private family interment will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
The funeral will take place at Our Lady of Grace on Friday, December 15, 2023 at 10:30 AM, with a visitation at 9:30 AM.