Ralph Frederick Wetmore

Dr. Wetmore was born and raised in Allentown, PA and graduated with honors from Franklin & Marshall College in 1972. He earned his medical degree with honors from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine in 1976, where he also completed his postgraduate training and surgical fellowship.

Dr. Wetmore made a lasting positive impact on the lives of thousands of children over his forty-year career as a surgeon at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). He served as chief of the division of otolaryngology and held the E. Mortimer Newlin endowed chair in pediatric otolaryngology and human communication at CHOP from 2008 until his retirement in September of 2020. Dr. Wetmore was instrumental in CHOP’s emergence as a leading global center for pediatric medicine, having served in key leadership roles including president of the medical staff and as a member of the hospital’s board of trustees.

Dr. Wetmore taught pediatric otolaryngology to hundreds of medical students, residents, and fellows, including many of today’s global leaders in the field. He authored or co-authored over one hundred scholarly articles cited thousands of times by his peers. In 1993, the most prominent international honor society of otolaryngologists, The Triological Society, awarded Dr. Wetmore the Edmund Prince Fowler Award for his groundbreaking research on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Dr. Wetmore was a past president of the two principal United States-based medical societies of his specialty – the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO) and the Society for Ear Nose and Throat Advancement in Children (SENTAC).

Despite his busy career, Dr. Wetmore found time for a variety of personal interests. He was an animal lover who doted over the dogs he adopted from rescue shelters. He wrote fiction novels and was a voracious reader. Dr. Wetmore enjoyed film throughout his life and for many years wrote a movie review column in the CHOP operating room newsletter. He appreciated a wide range of music and enthusiastically attended concerts by performers such as James Taylor, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga.

Unfortunately, despite considerable effort, his incredible talents as a surgeon, academic and leader never translated to the golf course. He was a rabid fan of the Philadelphia Eagles who was ecstatic when the team won the Super Bowl in 2019.

Dr. Wetmore was a humble, kind, and thoughtful person who strived to put the interests of others before his own. His warmth and selflessness were evident to everyone he encountered. He lived a remarkable life and made extraordinary contributions to the world.

He is survived and dearly missed by his wife Melinda of Johns Island, son Rick of Chestnut Hill, MA, daughter Alicia of Redmond, WA, stepdaughter Maddie DeMoss of Tacoma, WA, stepdaughter Abigail Demoss of Knoxville, TN, sister Wendy Fendt of Garden City, NY and two grandsons.

A graveside service will be held at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, September 13, at Grandview Cemetery, 2735 Walbert Ave., Allentown, PA 18104. A memorial service with reception immediately to follow will be held at 5:00 pm on September 13, at Doylestown Presbyterian Church, 127 East Court St., Doylestown, PA 18901. All are welcome to attend.

In lieu of flowers, a fund will be established in Dr. Wetmore’s honor to support the research on Lewy Body Dementia conducted by the University of Pennsylvania’s Digital Neuropathology Lab. Checks can be made out to “The Trustees of the University of PA – Neurology” and in the comment section add “In Memory of Dr. Ralph Wetmore" and mailed to: c/o Sheryl Garton, 3535 Market Street, Suite 750, Philadelphia, PA 19104.