Paul Fee M.D.

     Paul Fee M.D. Passed away on May 5th, 2024. He never fully recovered from a debilitating bout of Covid in the winter of 2022.  He was 85 and a great man.

     Paul was born in Breda, Iowa, and is preceded in death by his first love and wife, Janet Theresa Wernimont Fee, his parents, Walter and Juliana Fee, and his sister, Janet Dethlefsen.  Paul   is survived by his second love and wife, Penny Price Fee, his four boys, whom he loved more than words can say, Martin Joseph Fee, Patrick Paul Fee, John Timothy Fee, and Dominic Bryan Fee, his brothers, Phil and Bruce Fee, his sister, Virginia Schweers, his eight grandchildren, Erin Jarem, Dennis Fee, Daniel Fee, Kate Fee, Janet Fee, Paul Fee, Frank Fee, and Grace Fee, his two great-granddaughters, his lifelong best friend, Don Schaefer, many nieces and nephews, along with numerous friends and others whose lives he impacted greatly. He will be missed.

     Paul was an exceptional physician. He earned his medical degree at Creighton University and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society in 1963. He interned at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, before being drafted into the Air Force where he commanded the 4616th USAF Dispensary at the Sioux City Air Base from 1964-66. He was a proud veteran and would remain in Sioux City for the rest of his life.

     Paul was called to health care.  His kind, gentle, selfless, and understanding nature served him and his patients well. After his stint in the Air Force, Paul began practicing family medicine.  Paul loved being with people, always had a joke to tell, and a gift for delivering news, good or bad, to his patients. Paul’s career in family medicine continued for another 33 years before retiring from it in 1999.

      In the late 1980’s, Paul joined Hospice of Siouxland while also practicing at the Midtown Medical Clinic. Paul had a very special bond to hospice. His first wife, Janet, died of cancer in 1976 and watching the care she received at the end of her life made him want to affect change.  In 1994, he became Medical Director at Hospice of Siouxland where he would remain until his retirement in 2010.  Paul embraced the team approach to hospice and in many ways was on the cutting edge of end-of-life care as it evolved to what it is today. He became one of the earliest doctors to become board certified by the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Care. During his career, among positions and recognitions too numerous to mention, Paul served as Chief of Staff at St. Vincent Hospital, President of Medical Staff at Mercy Medical Center, and on the Board of Directors of Iowa Hospice Organization.  His impact on the Siouxland area was immense.

     Paul loved to hunt and fish. His favorite place on Earth was The Farm near Newcastle, Nebraska, which he bought with his beloved friend, Bob Kuntz, in 1971, and is where he could do both. Many of his best days of life were spent there with his family and friends. Paul always considered himself blessed to have that property and his ashes will be spread there at his fishing hole in the Missouri River. To recount the numerous great times Paul had as an outdoorsman would create a tome too long to read.  After retirement, one of Paul’s favorite activities was playing pitch in the afternoon with Dinny Youngblade and the rest of the boys at the Club. In addition, Paul loved to travel, especially abroad with Penny and in later years with his boys.  He also loved food, wine, and baseball which were often integrated into his travels.  Everyone was happy to see Paul and there are too many of us sad to see him go.  His only regret was not going fishing one last time with his boys to match his final hunting trip with them over Thanksgiving.

     A Celebration of Life for Paul will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel (3220 Stone Park Blvd.) in Sioux City. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Hospice of Siouxland in memory of Paul Fee.