Louis Henry Weiland, Md

Louis H. Weiland, MD, 88, of Rochester, Minnesota died on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at Mayo Clinic Saint Marys Campus. Louis was born at home in 1933, a farm boy in rural Ethan, South Dakota, the youngest of seven children. Beginning with farming and serving in the US Army during the Korean War, Louis would experience a lifetime of careers. As he so fondly explained, one day while plowing a field he asked himself "Would I rather be a farmer wishing I were a doctor, or a doctor wishing I were a farmer?" Both wishes would come true. Dakota Wesleyan University and the University of Iowa began his transformation from a lad of the soil to a physical therapist. He became Chief Physical Therapist at St. Francis Hospital, Breckenridge, Minnesota. As he told it, one day he thought to himself "I know as much as the doctors I work with, why not become a doctor?" Louis became a Doctor of Medicine at Marquette School of Medicine in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and interned at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. In 1965 he began his residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He received Board Certification and was invited to join the Mayo Clinic Pathology Staff. The Mayo Pathology Department of the 1970's was a unique blend of world class physicians, led by Malcolm Dockerty, Dave Dahlin and Lewis Woolner, who shared time outside the laboratory. Many weekends were spent planting trees at the Izaak Walton League farm, hunting pheasants in South Dakota, and canoeing the Boundary Waters. This camaraderie strengthened the cooperation and respect within the department, created a foundation which launched Louis' medical career, and instilled a strong conservation ethic in his family. He became known worldwide not only through the 200+ clinical papers he authored or co-authored, but also through consultation cases sent to him from pathologists around the world. When Mayo Clinic opened their Scottsdale, Arizona facility, Louis became Head of Section, Consultant in Surgical Pathology and hired an excellent team of pathologists. He gave many lectures around the world, always beginning with a funny story, sometimes to laughs, sometimes to groans. Louis loved the Mayo Clinic, especially the collaborative, collegial nature of its earlier days, and stayed connected to the Pathology Department through his good friend and colleague Gary Keeney. During his years of study and as a doctor, Louis and his first wife Lillian welcomed the four loves of his life, his children Cydney (Rob Smith), Tim (Anita), John (Donna Knauber) and Anne (Nate Hagens). After retirement from Mayo Clinic, Louis enjoyed his next job working with his friend, pathologist Jack Uecker in Minneapolis. He had a passion for old cars, and into his 70's was driving the same '32 Ford he drove as a boy of 14. Now back to farming. Louis bought the fifth love of his life, his John Deere tractor. Many happy years were spent on that machine. His hobbies were all self taught: he built beautiful furniture from old, salvaged chestnut and other fine woods; made award-winning wines from his own grapes, apples, rhubarb and currants; became an excellent gourmet cook; and played many fine tunes on his harmonica. He coerced family and friends into killer bicycle rides with the promise of a cold one at the end, and convinced you that riding a bike in hail and skiing in a blizzard were "fun." He never forgot his childhood friends from Ethan, and made many other lifelong friends along the way, including Kris and Sheila Unni, John and Ann Goellner, Jack and Clover Uecker, Michael and Margaret O'Sullivan, Jane and Tim Sweeney, George and Glen Farrow, Ed and Rita Harrison, Steve and Georgiana Woo, Peter and BJ Pairolero and many others. Louis is survived by his loving wife, Barbara; faithful dog, Pepper; all children; Lillian (Heckenlaible) Weiland; granddaughters, Brittany and Kathy Weiland and Madeline Largay; grandson, Chase Weiland; stepdaughter, Theresa Sotomayor; and many caring nieces, nephews, cousins, and their families. He is preceded in death by his mother and father, and his sisters and brothers. A special thank you to Charter House Senior Living in Rochester, Minnesota to the caregivers, staff and residents who extended kindness every day. Well and lovingly done. Louis will be greatly missed and always loved. Memorials may be written to Mayo Clinic Department of Development in memory of Louis H. Weiland, MD Educational Fund for pathology residents and sent to Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes, 5421 Royal Place NW Rochester, MN 55901 in care of Louis Weiland, MD. A visitation will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 25, 2021 at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes. A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. at the funeral home. The service will be live streamed on Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes Facebook page, www.facebook.com/Ranfranzandvine/ beginning at 1:00 p.m. For those in attendance, due to Covid-19, masks and social distancing will be observed. Burial will be at Holy Trinity Cemetery in Ethan, South Dakota. Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Weiland family; to share a special memory or condolence please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com