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Wiesmeyer, associate professor of molecular biology, emeritus, has died

Posted by on Thursday, November 7, 2024 in News Story.

A photo of Herbert Wiesmeyer.Herbert Wiesmeyer, associate professor of molecular biology, emeritus, died on October 4, 2024, in Nashville. He was 92.

Wiesmeyer was a dedicated teacher and mentor with an interest in cloning plants, spending many hours in his own greenhouse with his orchid collection.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Wiesmeyer attended Farragut High School, where he met his wife, Sonia Marie Lawrisuk, in orchestra.

He attended Theodore Herzl Junior College before obtaining his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He received his master’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, and his doctorate degree from Johns Hopkins University. Wiesmeyer received his post-doctorate degree from a university in Uppsala, Sweden, where he spent two sabbaticals during his time at Vanderbilt.

Wiesmeyer joined Vanderbilt in 1962 as an assistant professor in molecular biology and became associate professor in 1967. He taught for 37 years before becoming associate professor emeritus in 1994.

Wiesmeyer is survived by his wife of 70 years, Sonia, son Mark and daughter-in-law Lynn Rosemann, and son Roger.

There are no planned services at this time.