Dr. Lyle 'Doc' Munneke 1934-2007

Dr. Lyle Munneke,73, Willmar,died on Saturday, November 10, 2007, at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar, Minnesota. The family has requested that memorials be sent to the Dr. Lyle Munneke Scholarship at the University of Minnesota Medical School-Duluth Campus.

Dr. Munneke, or `Doc' as he was known around Willmar, was a beloved family physician whose dedicated service and passion for rural health care touched many lives—in Willmar and far beyond. In addition to serving the community, `Doc's' well-known hobby was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle. As a tribute to that passion, approximately 200 motorcyclists attended the funeral on their motorcycles and ushers wore Harley leather jackets. The photos shown here were printed in the funeral program.

In his volunteer work, Dr. Munneke was preceptor in the University of Minnesota Medical School's Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP) from 1972 until his retirement in 2002. He also served on various committees in the Medical School and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, and was a past president of the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians. Numerous awards from the Rural Physician Associate Program, Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians, and Minnesota Medical Association attest to his commitment to rural family practice.

Dr. Munneke is survived by his wife, Alvina; two sons, Douglas (and Joy) Munneke of St. Cloud and Dwight Munneke of Willmar; a daughter, Dawn (and Kenneth) Fisch of Willmar; two brothers, the Reverend Keith (and Ruth) Munneke of Edwardsburg, Michigan, and Lloyd (and Pearl) Munneke of Rock Valley, Iowa; and a sister, Charlotte (and Richard) Larsch of Mt. Vernon, South Dakota.

Before his death, the Family Practice Medical Center-Willmar and the University of Minnesota Medical School-Duluth Campus created an endowed scholarship in his honor that is awarded to a Duluth student interested in rural primary care.

To give online to the Munneke Scholarship, click here.

To mail a gift for the scholarship:
Please make your check out to the Minnesota Medical Foundation, write Munneke in the message line, and mail it to: Minnesota Medical Foundation, 1035 University Drive, #107, Duluth, MN 55812-3000. For more information, please call 218.726.6876.