Kennedy Wenger Gilchrist

1938 - 2025

Kennedy Wenger Gilchrist

January 27, 1938 - June 22, 2025

Kennedy Wenger Gilchrist, age 87, died on Sunday June 22nd, at 7:01 p.m.

He was born to R Kennedy Gilchrist and Madeline Wenger Gilchrist on January 27, 1938 in Chicago, Illinois.

He was united in marriage to Heidi Wilde on March 15, 1991 in Madison, Wisconsin. Survivors include his wife and her children Katrin and Christopher; and his children from a previous marriage, Anders W Gilchrist (Kris) of Naperville, Illinois and Corinne E Mayland (Dan) of Lansdale, Pennsylvania; his grandchildren, Luke Wilde, Kirsten R Mayland and William R Mayland; his sister, his sister Lynn E Gilchrist of Chicago, Illinois; his niece, Elizabeth Wigfield, and nephews Johannes Rheinheimer and Friedrich Rheinheimer. He was preceded in death by his parents.

He graduated from Evanston (Illinois) Township High School, Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He served honorably in the U. S. Army as Captain in its Medical Corps in the Republic of South Korea during 1966-1967, receiving an Army Commendation Medal. After residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Rush Medical School in Chicago and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he remained in Madison to enjoy working as a surgical pathologist in the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics for 30 years. He most cherished his translational research activities in the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG).

He developed ECOG's pathology program within which he published many research papers with American and international colleagues. He continued to be involved in multi-disciplinary research projects until his retirement. He also enjoyed reorganizing a large UW Medical School pathology course offering for students in healthcare professions. He earned a Masters in Administrative Medicine degree from the UW-Madison. He retired in 2003 as Professor Emeritus of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.

He was a loyal, life-long ("since 1948" he would declare), suffering fan of the Chicago Bears football team. He thoroughly appreciated listening to all varieties of classical music, but in particular that of the Baroque, especially JS Bach and GF Handel, and the operas of Richard Wagner. He travelled widely to remote seascapes, appreciating especially both polar oceans and the landscapes of seven continents. In all sites he relished observing the bird life. He considered himself to be a "craniac" and regularly supported programs of the International Crane Foundation.

He sailed across the South Pacific Ocean as a working crew member aboard a 19th century tall ship, honoring Heidi's lifelong post- retirement dream. Upon his retirement, he volunteered most actively with the Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve, undertaking field restoration service on the UW-Madison campus.

In lieu of flowers, he suggested that memorial contributions be made to the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin; to the Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve affiliated with the UW-Madison campus; or to Madison Opera.