Submitted by: Dan Rich

South Bend Tribune 9/17/2005

Agatha M. Wilhelm

Nov. 3, 1907 -- Sept. 14, 2005

Agatha M. Wilhelm, M.D., 97, of North Shore Drive, of South Bend, Ind., passed away Wednesday night September 14, 2005, in her home.

She was born on November 3, 1907, in St. Joseph County to Oscar and Elizabeth Wilhelm.

She was preceded in death by two husbands, Joseph W. Lauber (1964) and Frank J. Mootz (1988); and a son, John J. Lauber (2004). She is survived by three daughters, Christine A. Lauber and Elizabeth M. Lauber, both of South Bend and Martha Lauber Griggs (Daniel) of Wilmette, Ill.; and four grandchildren, Jessica B. Schubert, Peter W. Schubert, Sarah W. Griggs and Stephanie L. Griggs, all of Chicago.

Dr. Wilhelm served this community for may years as a physician. She graduated from Northwestern University with a BS in Chemistry in 1932, and from Northwestern University Medical School in 1936. She completed her internship at Cleveland City Hospital. Then was a resident in Clinical Pathology and served as assistant director at the South Bend Medical Foundation from 1936-1941. She served a fellowship in Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic from 1941-1943. In 1943, she returned to South Bend and opened a private practice in Internal Medicine which she maintained until her retirement in 1982.

She was president of the St. Joseph County Medical Society in 1963. In 1965, she was honored as the Woman of the Year in South Bend. She was a member of the American Medical Association, American Society of Clinical Pathologists, American Society of Internal Medicine, and American College of Physicians, as well as the local hospitals.

Agatha was a role model to many and an advocate for her patients. She left an indelible mark on those who knew her.

Visitation will be in the Welsheimer Family Funeral Home, 521 William Street, from 4 to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Services will be in St. Joseph Catholic Church, South Bend at 10 a.m. on Monday. Entombment will be at Riverview Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Memorial Health Foundation, 615 N. Michigan St., South Bend, IN 46601 or to the Foundation of St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, 4215 Edison Lakes Parkway, Suite 300, Mishawaka, IN 46545.