William A. Sodeman, Jr.

William Anthony Sodeman, Jr, M.D., J.D., passed away peacefully on May 12, 2024, after a brief illness. Physician, author, lawyer, avid fly fisherman and, above all, proud father and grandfather, Bill’s wide-ranging passions (fly-fishing, jewelry-making, woodworking, musician, artist, collector) and innate curiosity led to a richly lived life.

Born in New Orleans on March 26, 1936, to William A Sodeman Sr., M.D., of Toledo and Mary Agnes (Wagner) of Custar, OH, Bill followed in his father’s footsteps. After graduating from the University of Missouri, he received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1960 followed by a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan, and a fellowship in Gastroenterology. In 1967, he joined the Public Health Service at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and was the principal investigator in Schistosoma, leading a research team in Harbel, Liberia. During his 50 years in academic medicine, he trained hundreds of medical students, law students, residents, and fellows and held faculty appointments at the University of Michigan, the University of Arkansas, University of South Florida in Tampa, Louisiana State University Medical School at Shreveport, and the University of Toledo Medical Center. He always wore a Jiminy Cricket pin on his lapel to remind his trainees to “let your conscience be your guide.”

In his sixties, Bill surprised everyone by enrolling in law school at the University of Toledo. After receiving his JD, he occasionally taught a class or two at UT Law School – a favorite being Shakespeare and the Law. He belonged to numerous medical and legal societies, including the Board of Regents of the American College of Physicians, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and the American Osler Society.

As an author of numerous medical and scientific papers, he was a recognized expert on snails and shared authorship with his father on Pathologic Physiology: Mechanisms of Disease. He also wrote several books on geriatrics, including one with his son Thomas. He spent many summer days fly fishing on the Ausable River in Michigan with his brother and wrote about his experiences and love of fly fishing in his last book, Think Like a Trout, Catch Bigger Fish.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Marjorie (Christian). He is also survived by sons, William III (Jacki) and Thomas (Kelby); grandchildren, Christian, Alexander, and Rachael; brother, Thomas (Sandra); and several nieces, nephews, and step-grandchildren.

He will be remembered by his family and friends as a man of integrity and conscience who was always willing to share his experiences and many hobbies with others. The family will hold a private celebration of life later this summer.

Those wishing to donate in Bill’s memory are asked to consider the Anglers of the Au Sable.