Ralph James Veenema M.D.

1921 - 2018

Ralph James Veenema, MD

Cromwell, CT - Ralph James Veenema, MD, former Chief of Urologic Oncology at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City, passed away Friday, December 14, 2018 at Covenant Village, Cromwell, CT. He was 97.

Born December 13,1921, in Prospect Park, New Jersey, he was the son of Ralph and Sadie (Van Dyke) Veenema. He had three brothers and a sister.

In 1942 he received a B.A. degree from Calvin College in Michigan. It was while he was attending college that he met his wife, Henriette (Henis) E. Van der Molen. They were married September 19, 1944, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

In 1945, Dr. Veenema received his MD from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and served his internship at Paterson General Hospital in Paterson, New Jersey. In 1946 he was commissioned a Captain in the United States Army Medical Corps and served his country at Army hospitals in Alexandria, Louisiana, and Jackson, Mississippi.

After receiving his Honorable Discharge from the Military in 1948, he joined the staff at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City, where he received urological and surgical training. During his 37 years at Columbia he authored many scientific studies and papers on clinical and basic research in cancer of the urinary bladder and prostate cancer. At the time of his retirement in 1987 he was Urology Surgical Attending at Presbyterian Hospital in New York City and was Professor Emeritus of Urology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Ralph and Henis retired to their farm in Deposit, NY from their home of 35 years in Glen Rock, NJ. ShiRaLoKen Farm was well known for its high quality Angus breeding stock, both in New York State and by the American Angus Association. The Veenemas won several awards for their farming practices and in 1992 the farm was awarded the American Angus Association Land Stewardship Award for the Eastern Region of the United States. During their years on the farm, Dr. Veenema served as an advisor in the Cornell University School of Agriculture and Animal Science.

In 1997, Ralph and Henis retired from farming and moved to Cooperstown, NY. They became active members of the First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown and were ardent supporters of the Village's museums and parks, Friends of Bassett Hospital, the New York State Historical Association and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

In May 2006, Ralph suffered the loss of his beloved wife, Henis.

Dr. Veenema is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Shirley Ann and Jim Sheldon of Boston, MA and Lois Ruth and Bill Byrne of Traverse City, MI; two sons and daughters-in-law, Ralph J. Veenema Jr. and Janet of Rocky Hill, CT and Kenneth R. Veenema, MD and Tener of Baltimore, MD; 13 grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; one brother, Melvin Veenema, of Grand Rapids, MI; and nieces and nephews.

A private committal service will be held in Cooperstown, NY.

A Service of Witness to the Resurrection and Celebration of the Life of Ralph J Veenema will be offered at a date in April 2019, in the First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown.