Former Physiology Associate Professor Gunter Franz, Ph.D., remembered

Gunter N. Franz, PH.D., age 83, of Morgantown, passed away Thursday morning, December 13, 2018 in his sleep at his home, with Wanda., his loving wife of 53 years, in attendance.

Dr. Franz was hired to teach physiology at the School of Medicine in 1968. He has authored and co-authored numerous scientific publications in physiology and systems biophysics and is the co-author of the textbook Electronics for the Modern Scientist. He is an associate professor emeritus of the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology.

“He was not only an excellent teacher, but also took extra time to help those who were struggling,” said colleague Robert Goodman, Ph.D. “His skills in the latter were soon recognized by the Dean’s Office so that this became one of his official duties in his later years on the faculty. He was particularly proud of the many doctors now practicing in West Virginia that he helped train.”

Franz loved teaching medical students and eagerly embraced the American “open-door system” of working directly with students. It was a joy for him to share the experience of learning with his students. He helped the learning process with his many jokes and great sense of humor and received the Outstanding Teacher Award in the School of Medicine in 1996.

His students admired him and thanked him for his ability to inspire them. Dr. Franz served for 23 years as Chairman of the Academic Standards Committee. He spent a lifetime working to create good doctors, who could take care of him in his old age, which they did.

For more information about Dr. Franz, visit https://www.smithfcc.com/notices/Gunter-FranzPHD.