Remembering Dr. Kenneth Martin Viste Jr., M.D.

Long ago, as a student practical nurse, in 1971, I was looking out the window across a bridge, overlooking a parking lot below. As I was looking, I saw a car pull into the parking lot, rapidly, and park. The door opened, an arm came out, reached behind, and the next thing I saw was a wheel chair sort of flipping out of the car, opening, and in a VERY short time, a youngish man getting out of the driver's seat and into the wheel chair, grabbing a personal item, backing out and shutting the car door, then flying toward the entrance of the hospital. When I say a VERY short time, I mean a VERY SHORT time!

There was a staff member in the room, and I asked her who would be getting out with a wheel chair and coming into that entrance. She replied "Oh, that is Dr Viste". It was my introduction to a remarkable MD, a neurologist who had been through High School, College, Med School and Residency, etc, as a person in a wheel chair. He never let that slow him down. He got out of that car faster than I, an able-bodied person, could move.

His patients loved him. He loved his patients. I know of one MS patient who loves Elvis. Dr Viste paid for a Elvis impersonator to visit her on one of her birthdays after she became bed-ridden. He looked into the eyes of a man who had been all over trying to find out why he was having the problems he was having ...and said.. "You have MS, my son". That man moved to where he could be treated by Dr Viste as a result.

I did not work in a hospital that Dr Viste worked at all the time, but when he had a patient in our hospital, he would come. Recently, I was at a local nursing home when he came to see his patients. I had a chance to tell him about the day I was looking out that window, so very long ago. His response to me was a huge smile, and "Thank you for remembering!"

I did not know him personally, so cannot comment on his personality nor his personal life. But his obituary says a lot about him, and the fact that people came the entire time (a total of 12 hours) the visitation was scheduled at the funeral home!

Posted Aug. 24, 2005

Dr. Kenneth Martin Viste Jr., M.D. Dr. Kenneth Martin Viste, Jr., M.D. (1941-2005) Dr. Kenneth Martin Viste, Jr., M.D., of Oshkosh, passed away at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota on Sunday, August 21, 2005 due to complications arising from gallbladder cancer. Dr. Viste was 63. He is preceded in death by his father Kenneth Martin Viste, Sr., and survived by his loving wife Jan, his children Doran, Kenneth and Kari, their mother Jane, step-children Elliott and Shayna Carter, his mother Edith, his brother George (his wife Sheryl), his sisters Carol Bartoszek (her husband John) and Mary Johanknecht (her husband Gary), numerous nieces and nephews, and countless friends, colleagues, and patients. He will be greatly missed by all whose lives he touched. Born and raised in Wisconsin, Ken devoted his life to the care and betterment of his family, patients, community, state and nation. Struck with polio fifty years ago and left in a wheelchair at the age of 13 in a world that has only recently become accommodating to his disability, Ken overcame numerous hardships and never let his disability get in the way of his life. He graduated from Sturgeon Bay High School in 1959 and went to the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana on a full scholarship. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1962, he chose to attend medical school at Northwestern Medical School rather than pursue his other interest of law and politics. The world would be left a better place because of this decision.

Ken chose neurology as his career path because he felt it would be the best way for him to help others and for the next 39-years he remained passionate about his career as a physician. After spending 8-years in his beloved Chicago, he entered private practice as a neurologist in the Fox Valley in 1970. Thereafter, Ken kept his home, business and personal interests centered around Oshkosh and Lakeside Neurocare, the business he founded and oversaw through his death. Even as his professional and personal interests took him around the nation and globe, providing personal, compassionate, and expert care to his local patients in Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, Neenah, Appleton, and Berlin remained the primary focus and most important achievement of his career. By personal example, Ken has inspired his patients and helped them adapt to and overcome the physical challenges associated with their ailments. His role as medical director of the Physical Rehabilitation Unit at Mercy Medical Center from 1974 through his passing encouraged the opening of these vital resources to disabled individuals throughout the community. Fascinated with making and shaping public policy, Ken was a very active leader in his profession, as well as a frequent advisor to the government on health care issues, with a particular focus upon multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, rehabilitation, and establishing affordable and accessible health care for all, particularly small communities. He served as president of the State Medical Society of Wisconsin from 1987-1988 and the American Academy of Neurology from 1995-1997, as a state delegate to the American Medical Association, as health advisor to Governor Tommy Thompson, and was one of ten physicians appointed by Secretary Shalala to the Practicing Physicians Advisory Council during the Clinton administrations. His ability to discuss health care related issues made him a frequent guest of congressmen and senators on Capital Hill in Washington, D.C., and a friend of politicians regardless of party affiliation. Throughout his life of giving back to the community, Ken was also a member of numerous boards and charitable organizations, including the American Academy of Neurology Foundation, the State Medical Society Foundation, Blue Cross/Blue Shield (Cobalt. Corp.), the University of Illinois Foundation, and Very Special Arts Wisconsin. In addition, Ken was particularly proud of the accomplishments recently being made as member of the Wisconsin Eye Board of Directors, an effort to open up Wisconsin government to its citizens similar to C-SPAN. However, Ken’s primary non-professional interest always lay with his alma mater, the University of Illinois. To the institution that gave a disabled boy from rural Wisconsin his educational foundation, he not only avidly rooted for the Fighting Illini, attending hundreds of football and basketball games, but he provided significant financial and personal support to the institution, which was recently rewarded as he was named Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Alumni Association. Luckily, it was this interest in the Illini which caused him to cross paths with Jan Carter, whom he would joyously spend the final 12-years of his life with. Her deep love and tireless support made the final months of Ken’s life less painful for him and his family. Ken’s integrity, intelligence, ambition, and love have profoundly influenced his family. A loyal son, brother, father, and husband, he traveled widely, took thousands of photographs, enjoyed countless wonderful meals with a glass of chardonnay, and swam seemingly endless amounts of laps in pools around the world. His charismatic smile, his sense of humor, and his devotion to others will be dearly missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him. Funeral service for Dr. Viste will be Friday, August 26 at 6 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 137 Algoma Blvd., Oshkosh with Rev. Roger Bertschausen officiating. Family and friends may call on Thursday, August 25 from noon to 8 p.m. at Konrad-Behlman Funeral Home, 100 Lake Pointe Dr., Oshkosh and also on Friday at church from 2 p.m. until the time of service. Burial will be in Tanum Forest Ev. Lutheran Cemetery, Sturgeon Bay, WI. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Ken’s name to either the American Academy of Neurology Foundation, the University of Illinois Foundation, or the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation. Konrad-Behlman Funeral Homes 100 Lake Pointe Dr. Oshkosh, WI 54904 (920) 231-1510 www.konrad-behlman.com