LTG Bernhard T. Mittemeyer M.D.

LTG Bernhard T. Mittemeyer M.D., 92, of Lubbock, Texas, passed away on January 25, 2023, at University Medical Center surrounded by his family. Bernie was born in Paramaribo, Suriname, South America, to Moravian Missionaries Frederik and Hanna Mittemeyer on October 30, 1930. At age 14 Bernie, his mother and his brothers immigrated to Nazareth, PA, where he lived with a Moravian missionary family and attended Bethlehem High School.

He attended Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA, where he was a Pre-Med, played football, and was an Omicron Gamma Omega Fraternity brother. Later Bernie would serve on the Moravian College Board of Trustees. He attended Temple University Medical School and then joined the U.S. Army, where he completed his internship and residency in Urology and served in the 101^st Airborne division.

Bernie served 28 distinguished years of military service to our country, reaching the rank of Lieutenant General. He served as the commanding officer of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and as the 35^th Surgeon General of the Army from 1981-1985 after which he retired. He continued his illustrious career as the Executive Vice President and Provost of Texas Tech Health Science Center where he continued to be known as a leader, teacher, mentor, and friend to so many. After retiring from his role as Executive Vice President, he went back to his urology practice at the Health Science Center. In 2008, the urology clinic was named the Bernhard T. Mittemeyer Urology Clinic.

Bernie, along with four other retired Generals, was instrumental in forming and leading a committee for the Improvement of Veteran’s Health Care on the South Plains. Bernie and his committee’s vision of providing state-of-the-art healthcare to Veterans came to reality on June 1, 2021, when the new Lubbock VA Outpatient Clinic saw its first patients.

Bernie is survived by his loving wife, Mary Beth; children, Jan (Mary Beth Mantiply) Mittemeyer, Thomas Mittemeyer, Robert Mittemeyer, Sarah Shea (Michael Haller), Brant Smith, and Adam (Amy) Smith; grandchildren, Adele, Hanna, Andrew, Autumn, Shepherd, Garrett, Braden, Carter, and Brynlee; great-grandchild, Clara; brother, Ernie Mittemeyer; and sister-in-law, Brigitte Mittemeyer.

He is preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Hans Mittemeyer.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to one of the following: Texas Tech University Health Science Center Bernard T. Mittemeyer Presidential Scholarship Endowment- Lubbock; the Tech University Health Science Center Bernhard T. Mittermeyer Student Award Endowment- Amarillo by going to givetottuhsc.com, click on the “other” box and search for Mittemeyer, or to the UMC Foundation at umchealthsystem.com/giving.

A service to celebrate the life of Bernie Mittemeyer, is scheduled at 2:00 PM on Friday, February 17, 2023, at First United Methodist Church, Lubbock, Texas.  Please see the service broadcasting schedule, floral purchasing, and an area to share stories of Dr. Mittemeyer with his family here on this page.

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