Roger A. Gremminger

Dr. Roger Gremminger's professional and volunteer career began in 1978. In his own words (as published in the first article he contributed for the new Wisconsin Light newspaper:

"I am a full-time emergency medicine physician (no private practice) who in addition has provided health care services to the Gay community (since 1978) on a volunteer basis. It was on January 11, 1978 when I was oriented and began to provide medical services at what was then the GPU VD Clinic. That was the occasion of my very first professional actions as a newly licensed physician. Since then I have remained a member of the medical staff of the clinic-- which has been knowns as the GPU VD Clinic, then GPU STD Clinic, then the Farwell STD Clinic, and finally as the present Brady East STD Clinic (BESTD Clinic)."

Roger was appointed as the second Medical Director of the BESTD Clinic in July 1979.

In addition to being one of the most active and longest serving physicians to the BESTD Clinic, he made another generous gift to the community as well: in 1989 he donated the building on Brady Street which has been housing the Clinic to the Clinic non-profit corporation, thus ensuring its continued operation without having to worry about lease payments.

Dr. Gremminger was an early observer and quick reactor to the new threat of AIDS: "In the Pre-AIDS era, I had worked diligently to control gonnorrhea, syphilis, giardiasis, amebiasis, warts, and Hepatitis B. I had seen AIDS enter the community although at first I did not know what I was seeing. After completing a Hepatitis B study and starting a hepatitis B vaccination program, I began to work feverishly from December 1982 to July 1984 to alert the community of the danger of AIDS."

Roger contributed articles to the local LGBT community media on a regular basis. He wrote health columns in Gay Milwaukee and Our Horizon from 1979 until February 1982, when Our Horizon ceased publication. But when Wisconsin Light began publishing late in 1987, Dr. Gremminger was asked to contribute, and thus began appearing his "Medically Speaking" column in that newspaper.

Dr. Gremminger resigned as Medical Director at BESTD in July 1984, for professional and personal reasons- what many call "burn out". But he continued on the medical staff, volunteering at the clinic one or two times per month.

Roger Anthony Gremminger died in Denver, Colorado on December 30, 2023. His obituary was released as follows:

Roger A. Gremminger, M.D., 76, passed away on December 30, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. He was born in Campbellsport on February 24, 1947, the son of Paul and Frances (nee Fox) Gremminger. Roger graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin and was an emergency physician at St. Joseph's Hospital in Milwaukee and at Beaver Dam Community Hospital.

Survivors include his partner Kasem Nithipatikom, brother Robert (Bonnie) Gremminger, sisters S. Elaine Gremminger, OSF, Ruth Gremminger, and Carol Jones, sister-in-law Eleanor Gremminger, brother-in-law James Hohl, nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Roger was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Eugene "Bud", David, and Donald, sister Sue Hohl, and brother-in-law Earnst Jones.

Visitation will be Friday, January 12th from 10:00 AM until time of Mass at St. Matthew's Catholic Church, 406 E. Main St. Campbellsport, WI 53010.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, January 12th at 11:00 AM at St. Matthew's Catholic Church with Rev. Mark Jones officiating. Roger's cremains will be buried on the Gremminger family lot in St. Matthews Cemetery in Campbellsport.

Twohig Funeral Home is assisting the family with guestbook and condolences at www.twohigfunerals.com (920) 533-4422.