Dr. Helmut M. Redetzki

Dr. HELMUT M. REDETZKI, of Little Rock, died at age 91, on Monday, July 15, 2013. He was a native of Germany, earned his M.D. degree and specialty training in Internal Medicine at the University of Hamburg. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1956, obtained U.S. citizenship and dedicated himself to a lifelong career in academic medicine. He held faculty appointments at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston; Louisiana State University, School of Medicine, New Orleans and served 20 years as Head of the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at Louisiana State University School of Medicine, in Shreveport. He distinguished himself as physician, teacher, and researcher, contributing to advances in drug therapy and especially to new developments in medical toxicology. He received numerous academic honors and student teaching awards; served on the executive boards of national medicine and scientific organizations, and from 1981 to 1989, as Editor in Chief of the international Journal of Toxicology-Clinical Toxicology. After his retirement in 1991, he and his wife moved to Little Rock where he devoted himself to intellectual pursuits in Art History, History, and Literature by enrolling as a student taking courses at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He loved the nature of Arkansas and together with his wife spent much time traveling through the state, exploring its trails, photographing landscapes, flowers and butterflies. He is survived by his wife, Joyce E. Redetzki, M.D., and three nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at Ruebel Funeral Home, 6313 W. Markham Street, on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at 11 a.m. Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.