Don R. Janicek M.D.

Don R Janicek, M.D. passed away peacefully at home on April 15, 2016 from the effects of lymphoma. He was born on July 20, 1925, the youngest son of Joseph and Mary Janicek of Madison, WI. He attended Randall and West High Schools in Madison, where he received letters in basketball and tennis, and was elected to the National Honor Society. He entered the University of Wisconsin premed program in the summer of 1943 but volunteered for the U S Army in October. He served in various units in the army (once in the Phillipines) and was twice selected as an alternate for a West Point appointment. He was finally discharged in May of 1946 with the rank of lieutenant, and then re-entered the U of Wis. Premed program. He gained entry into the UW Medical School in 1947 and was active in the Phi Chi Medical Fraternity, while obtaining Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Kappa scholastic honors. He was married to Marilyn Rieder of Madison, WI on June 22, 1949. He graduated from medical school in 1951 and went on to internship at Kansas City, MO thence he started the general practice of medicine in 1952 at Carthage, IL but was soon drawn to relocate to their hometown of Madison, WI in 1955. He had several partners during his 36 years of family practice and was particularly devoted to his large group of faithful patients. He was active on the staff of Madison General Hospital (Meriter, now), Methodist Hospital and the Academy of Family Practice.

He and Marilyn were blessed with the adoption of their four children, Larry, Julie, Steven, and Nancy. He retired from active practice in 1988 but enjoyed being a relief “doctor” at locum tenens locations in Washington, Oregon, Iowa, Colorado, Minnesota, and Wisconsin in the ensuing years. They spent winters at their condo at Naples Bath and Tennis Club in Florida where they enjoyed tennis, boating, and many new friends. In Naples he was quite active in the retired physicians assn of Collier Co, becoming secretary and president over several years. In 1990 he volunteered to the medical staff at the Immokalee medical clinic, riding his motorcycle there twice weekly for seven years. He was particularly saddened by the death of his wife of 49+ years of breast cancer in Sept. of 1998.

He was also preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Alice, and brother, Arnold. At the tennis club he met and subsequently married Anne Merick in April 2002. They travelled extensively in this country as well as about the world, including France, the Baltic, Vietnam, China, Canada, the Caribbean and Alaska. Finally, they sold their home and entered an independent living facility at Bentley Village in Naples.

He is survived by his wife, Anne, his son Larry (Nimfa) of Lake Charles, LA. and their four children, Faith, Marylin, Larry, and Crystal. Also by his daughter, Julie Wilkey (David) of Farmington, NM. and their two daughters, Laurel and Marissa. Also by his son, Steven (Theresa) of Vail, CO. and their three children, Sasha, Alexa, and John. Also by his daughter, Nancy of St Charles, MO. and their four children, Erica, Dallas, Sammy, and Mordred. He is also survived by his step daughter, Katherine Engelke (Ted) of Charleston, SC and their four daughters, Harriet, Edith Louise, Katherine, and Lila.

He will be interred beside his first wife, Marilyn, at the Sunset Memorial Gardens.