Richard Paul Wetzig

Richard Paul Wetzig, M.D., beloved son, brother, father, cousin, uncle, and friend, passed away August 24, 2020, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, from sudden cardiac arrest, the day after happily celebrating his 67th birthday with family. He called his mother the night of his birthday and said it had been his best birthday ever.

Richard was born August 23, 1953, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to the late Paul Carl Wetzig, M.D., and Doreen Frances Brugger Wetzig. He grew up in Colorado Springs and graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School. He graduated from Stanford University with distinction and attended the University of Colorado Medical School in Denver, Colorado. His post-graduate training and appointments included an internship in internal medicine at University Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; a research fellowship in ocular immunology at the Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; an ophthalmology residency at the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; and a senior staff fellowship at the Laboratory of Immunology, the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland. Richard co-authored many scientific ophthalmological immunology research papers published in numerous medical journals and texts. Richard left academic ophthalmology in 1987 to move back to Colorado Springs and join the Colorado Springs Eye Clinic in partnership with his father, and older brother Carl K. Wetzig, M.D. He also served as assistant clinical professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.

Richard met Melissa Baird Wetzig while a resident in Boston. They were married for 14 years. Together they raised two beautiful daughters, Natalie and Yvonne, of whom he loved dearly and was so very, very proud. They were his life.

Richard was a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Uveitis Society, the El Paso County Medical Society, the Colorado Medical Society, the American Medical Association, the Pikes Peak Health Care Executive Forum, and Phi Beta Kappa.

He served on many volunteer committees including the El Paso County Medical Society’s Medically Indigent Committee, and AIDS Committee; the Penrose Hospital Institutional Review Board; Colorado Medical Society House of Delegates; the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce’s Employee Health Benefits Task Force, and Seminar Committee; the Colorado Springs Music Volunteers Board of Directors; Haven House Advisory Board; the Pike’s Peak Mental Health Center, Board of Directors, and Nominating Committee, receiving the volunteer of the year award twice; and the Chapel of Our Saviour Vestry.

Richard was preceded in death by his father Paul Carl Wetzig, M.D., brother Carl Kurt Wetzig, M.D., aunt Betty Wetzig Stratford, M.D., and brother-in-law John “Skip” Brand III. He is survived by his daughters Natalie Wetzig of Pacific Palisades, California, and Yvonne Wetzig of Oakland, California, and their mother Melissa Wetzig; his mother Doreen Frances Brugger Wetzig, and sisters Laura Hitch (Mike) and Dorrie Brand of Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania; sister-in-law Carol Headley Wetzig; nieces and nephews Daniel Hitch, Devin Hitch, John “J. B.” Brand (Betsy), Laura Brand Harrison (Mike), Christopher Wetzig (Angela), Cayley Wetzig, Casey Wetzig Peterson (Brian); cousins Charlie Woodward, Ann Woodward, Nick Woodward, Robin Dalton, and Jeff Stratford. Richard is remembered dearly by members of the Edward W.D. Norton family, his Chapel of Our Saviour church family, his many friends at the Regency Tower Apartments where he lived the last 20 years, the staff and patients at the eye clinic, his Cheyenne Mountain High School friends, and many friends, neighbors, and acquaintances.

Richard enjoyed tropical fish, budgie birds, creating black and white photography, watching tennis, Jeopardy, and collegiate women’s volleyball. He was a lover of great music, poetry and literature, and a dedicated subscriber to the Economist. In his younger days he enjoyed hiking Colorado trails and fourteeners, biking, swimming, squash, downhill and cross-country skiing, and especially car camping with his girls. In another life Rich might have been a forest ranger, author or poet.

Richard supported many charities including Silver Key Senior Services, the American Diabetes Association, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, the Colorado Physician Health Program, and the Jane Goodall Institute. Dr. Goodall was a professor of Richard’s at Stanford.

Richard will be remembered as a loving, loyal, kind, thoughtful, always thankful, never complaining, considerate, brave, intelligent man with a gentle soul. Connecting with others was important to Richard. His patient, generous demeanor, paired with clever wit and unwavering integrity rightfully made him the trusted confidant and lifelong friend to many.

Richard will be interred at the Chapel of Our Saviour columbarium at a private family service. A celebration will be held at a time when friends and family can gather safely to share stories, laugh, and honor his memory. In lieu of flowers, please spend time hiking a beautiful mountain trail, or make a gift to one of the charities Richard supported. With much love and gratitude, his family.