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- [S927] Obituary.
Dr. Gordon W. Dewald - Rochester
Posted Mar 1, 2010
ROCHESTER — Dr. Gordon Wayne Dewald, 66, pioneering clinical cytogeneticist, researcher, teacher, and devoted husband, father, grandfather and brother, died the evening of Friday, Feb. 26, 2010, after a long, courageous battle with acinar cell pancreatic cancer.
Gordon was known among his peers as a leader in clinical cytogenetics for patients with congenital disorders and patients with hematological malignancies. His experience in cytogenetic studies was among the most extensive in the world, and his clinical research set international standards for the care of patients.
Gordon was born July 22, 1943, in Jamestown, N.D., to Christian Dewald and Mary Graf Dewald. He grew up in Dawson and Jamestown, N.D. Gordon married Laurel Ann Havelick on Aug. 16, 1964, in Jamestown, where they met several years earlier at Jamestown High School. They were happily married for more than 45 years.
Gordon earned a Bachelor's Degree from Jamestown College in 1965. He then earned a Master's degree in 1968 and a Ph.D. in 1972 from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. Dr. Dewald came to Mayo Clinic in 1972 as a fellow in clinical cytogenetics. In 1979, he became director of the cytogenetics laboratory and devoted the remainder of his career to clinical cytogenetics at Mayo Clinic. By the time he retired in 2007, this laboratory was recognized internationally as one of the finest and innovative in human cytogenetics.
Dr. Dewald was known as an avid teacher and dedicated mentor to generations of cytogenetic technologists, medical genetics fellows, pathology residents, and individuals from many other areas of medicine. Dr. Dewald participated in many significant international organizations and was a recipient of several important national awards for his contributions to cytogenetics.
Among friends, he was known for his energy, loyalty, and fun-loving nature. Gordon and his wife loved to travel and were especially interested in Italian Renaissance art and churches of the world. He was an avid tennis player throughout most of his life and learned to love golf in recent years.
Gordon is survived by his wife, Laurel Ann Havelick Dewald; a daughter, Stephanie Ann Dewald of Chicago, Ill.; two sons, Anthony Wayne (Nicole) Dewald of Waynesboro, Va., and David Aaron (Tracey) Dewald of Madison, Wis. He was also proud of and loved his three grandsons, Stefan Anthony Dewald, Brandon Wayne Dewald and Aaron James Dewald, and granddaughter Whitney Marie Dewald. He is also survived by a brother, Stevan (Connie) Dewald of Fargo, N.D.; and a sister, Doris (Ferdinand) Dewald Hagel of Casa Grande, Ariz. Gordon is preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and a sister.
His family remembers him as a loving, affectionate and devoted husband and father.
A Memorial Service will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 2, 2010, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 1212 12th Ave. N.W., with Rev. Dr. Charles Ortloff officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Gordon will be cremated, with site of interment not certain at this time.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church or the Mayo Clinic Foundation for Research in Pancreatic Cancer.
Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes, 5421 Royal Place N.W., Rochester. (507) 289-3600 www.ranfranzandvinefh.com
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1943 - 2010 (66 years)