Alvin Seymour Wenneker

Alvin (Al) Seymour Wenneker, 98, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on September 7th. He was the beloved husband of the late Razine (Ray) Wenneker; devoted father of Mark (Amy) and Barbie (Richard); cherished grandfather of Max (Rachel), Teddy, Ellie (Dan), Tarek (Alex), and Ziyad; and loving brother-in-law of Mimi Slawin Barohn (Selwyn). He was predeceased in death by his parents, Bessie Ruth (Stern) and Maurice Wenneker, his sister, Jean Wenneker Schneider, and brothers-in-law Barney Klearman (Hilda) and Mel Klearman (Lois).

Born in Chicago and raised in St. Louis, Al graduated from Soldan High School in 1945 where he was the Class President and then enlisted in the Navy. Upon returning from service, he received full scholarships for his undergraduate and medical studies at Washington University and completed residency in internal medicine at Barnes Hospital in 1957.

Al loved caring for patients. He developed a large practice with an office on Delmar and practiced for 47 years. His warmth, compassion, and devotion to his patients, combined with his clinical acumen, was what every patient wants from their primary care doctor. He was the ultimate patient advocate working collaboratively with nurses, residents and specialists to ensure that his patients received the best and most timely care possible.

He also loved teaching and supervised clinical rotations for medical students and residents at Barnes and Jewish Hospitals for decades. He was appointed a Full Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine in 1997. After retirement in 2004, he was asked to join the Admissions Committee of the Medical School and served for over 15 years. His colleagues on the Committee noted that he was always open-minded, gentle and kind to all applicants. Prospective medical students whom Al interviewed marveled at his passion for clinical medicine and that his affiliation with the University dated back to the late 1940s.

Al developed many avocations including hunting, raising and training his own hunting dogs; trout fishing; and photography, building his own darkroom and creating professional-quality portraits of his family. At the age of 60, he learned golf, playing several times per week at Westwood Country Club until the age of 93. He was also a technophile receiving his first personal computer in 1986 from his daughter who worked at IBM. In his later years, he became a devoted New England Patriots fan which he shared with his Boston-based son and grandchildren.

Most importantly, family was everything to Al. Ray, his beloved wife of 72 years, was the center of his life. They enjoyed many trips with family and friends both in the U.S. and abroad, and, in the later years, visiting their children and grandchildren. When home, they could often be found sitting together on their porch, her legs in his lap, gazing lovingly at each other. Until Ray’s passing in March, they were virtually inseparable. Their souls will now be re-united for eternity.

Al’s warm smile, kind nature, humility, sense of humor and deep love for his family will be remembered always. We are grateful for the long and loving life he lived. May his memory be a blessing.

A graveside service was held for the immediate family. A memorial service will be held Sunday, November 9, at 1:00 p.m. at Temple Emanuel, 12166 Conway Rd, St. Louis, with livestream available. Please see below for livestream details.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions in memory of Dr. Alvin Wenneker be made to School of Medicine Scholarships at WashU School of Medicine, MSC 1082-414-2555, 7425 Forsyth Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63105 or online at gifts.wustl.edu/med