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SONNTAG -- Richard William Sonntag Jr., MD, passed away peacefully in Albuquerque, NM, early Friday morning, October 10, 2008. Richard is survived by his brother, Russell Sonntag of Bountiful, UT; two sisters, Carol Sonntag and Marianne Sonntag of Salt Lake City, UT; his children, Richard W Sonntag III of Albuquerque and his wife, Jeanne; Eric Sonntag of Yorba Linda, CA and his wife, Monica, and their two children, Jacob (8) and Jonathan (6); and Heather Sonntag of Madison, WI. Richard was born in Philadelphia, PA, but moved to Salt Lake City where he spent most of his childhood, graduating from East High School as well as University of Utah. He then attended Temple Medical University, where he received his MD. He was commissioned into the US Air Force, where he spent the next 10 years on multiple projects, including being Chief Resident of Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, PA; team lead on Apollo space mission component testing and F-111 fighter jet component testing at Holloman AFB, NM; and Assistant Chief of Ophthalmology at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX. He was honorably discharged from the US Air Force in 1975, having achieved the rank of Lt. Colonel. He then returned to New Mexico with his family and set-up private practice at Presbyterian in Albuquerque, but he also set-up a private practice in Gallup for a number of years. In his spare time, Richard loved to snow ski in his earlier years and was a registered senior member of the National Ski Patrol as he had a deep love for nature and the great outdoors. He also enjoyed reading, photography, and especially liked being in Yellowstone, Tetons and Jackson Hole to photograph the beauty. He was a regular patron of the Music in Corrales Series and Albuquerque Baroque Players as well as indulged in spending time with his friends. He delighted in the time spent with his grandsons, Jacob and Jonathan, eating out, having conversations about space or nature or just watching them play. They will miss "Grandpa Rich." He will be deeply missed by those many lives he touched. Memorial Services will be held at French's Mortuary, 7121 Wyoming Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109 on October 17, 2008 at 1 p.m., MST. In lieu of flowers (as much as Rich loved flowers), the family would appreciate donations to the National Parks Conservation Association, 1300 19th St, NW, Ste 300, Washington, DC 20036 OR to the American Diabetes Association, 2625 Pennsylvania NE, Ste 225, 87110. Arrangements by French's Mortuary, 7121 Wyoming Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109.
        Published on: Wed October 15, 2008