Donald Lee Wehmeyer

Donald L. Wehmeyer, M.D. was born on August 9, 1945, to George and Virginia Wehmeyer and passed away on Thursday, November 12, 2020. He was raised in High Ridge, Missouri and graduated from Northwest High School in 1963. Don attended the University of Missouri at Columbia where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. It was there he met his future wife, Pat Morrow, and they were married on August 24, 1968. Upon graduation from Mizzou in 1967, he attended the University of Missouri School of Medicine, graduating in 1971, and then completed his general surgery residency at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas in 1975. Don served his country at Dyess Air Force Base as a general surgeon from 1975 to 1977. He then continued his medical training at the University of Florida in Gainesville doing a plastic surgery residency from 1977 to 1979. His fascination with how the hand functions led him to complete his hand and microsurgical fellowship at the University of Colorado School of Medicine at Denver in 1980. Don and Pat had three criteria regarding a place to settle down, begin a practice and raise their family. Those were: a small town, parades on holidays and no need for a snow shovel! That’s what brought them back to Abilene, Texas. Don opened his practice in July 1980, and he continued serving Abilene and the surrounding area until his retirement in May 2018. During his medical career, he was instrumental in organizing one of the first independent physician associations in West Texas, Premier Physicians Alliance. Don served as President of the board directors for many years. Throughout his thirty-eight year career as a hand surgeon, he developed a love of travel, a sense of adventure and giving of his time. Don and Pat enjoyed traveling all over the world with family and friends. From attending the Winter Olympics in Yugoslavia, France and Norway to exploring the depths of the oceans around the world as a certified scuba diver to enjoying the beauty of South Africa on safaris, Don savored every trip. Don was a dedicated Boy Scout and had achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Throughout his adult life he gave of his time by serving on the staff of several National and World Scout Jamborees. He was very proud of his two grandsons in their involvement in scouting as they earned their way through the scouting ranks. He certainly lived up to the Boy Scout motto “Be Prepared”. Don was a talented photographer and captured priceless photos of his life’s adventures that will be treasured by his family and friends for years to come. Don was preceded in death by his parents, George and Virginia Wehmeyer and his sister, Brenda Wehmeyer. He is survived by his wife, Pat, his son Michael Wehmeyer and wife Melissa of Abilene, Texas, his daughter Wendy Wehmeyer of Rockwall, Texas, his son Jeff Wehmeyer and wife Julie and grandsons Andy and Nick all of Lake Bluff, Illinois. He is also survived by numerous cousins, friends and colleagues. Visitation will be on Thursday, November 19, 2020 from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Hamil Family Funeral Home at 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Meals on Wheels or the charity of your choice.