David Polzin

Our beloved David passed from complications related to his frontal temporal dementia, Progressive Primary Aphasia.

His life was cut short, and he leaves behind a loving blended family who misses him greatly. This includes his beloved wife Brenda (Fleming) Knapp-Polzin and children Kelsey (Polzin) Higdon, husband Jimmy Higdon, grandchildren, Isabella, Madigan, James, Haynes, and Weller, son Elliot Polzin, wife Jordan (Balbach) Polzin and granddaughter Presley, Cathy (Fleming Matthias) Martin, husband Dan Martin and grandchildren Austin and Sidney Matthias, Brian Fleming, wife Michelle Norton Fleming, and Christine Fleming, fiancé Scott Mahlke, brother Chris Polzin and wife Ginger Thornton. David was preceded in death by his parents Elmer and Patricia (Campbell) Polzin.

David was born and raised in Chicago, IL, shaping many of his life interests and advocations. His father Elmer was a celebrated racehorse sportswriter for the Chicago Tribune and the family lived close to a Forest Preserve and the Brookfield Zoo. These experiences fostered his passionate love of animals and nature. David was a championship YMCA Swim Club backstroke swimmer in primary school, coached by his father and swam competitively during his Lyons Township High School years.

He was a brilliant and profoundly creative scientist who had a passion for math, theories, and complex problems. In 1975 he earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana, followed by an internship at the University of Georgia, Athens, and earned a PhD in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota in 1981. During his 54-year academic career as Professor and Division Head of Internal Medicine, he was celebrated as a world-renowned Veterinary Nephrologist whose investigations were focused on kidney disease diagnosis, and dietary therapies for mitigation and management of chronic kidney failure. His collaborations were often with colleagues and fellow research partners and was awarded more than 4 million dollars in research grants. He was a sought-after lecturer and speaker traveling to all areas of the world in more than 200 forums. David trained many current veterinary nephrologists and we're fortunate to have access to his career body of work which includes over 200 papers, reviews, abstracts, editorials, books, and book chapters.

David was a founding member of the International Renal Interest Society and member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine), American Society of Nephrology, National Kidney Foundation, International Society of Nephrology, AAHA Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society, and Society of Veterinary Nephrology/Urology. He was instrumental in the creation of and Founder and Honorary Member of the newly recognized American College of Veterinary Nephrology and Urology.

David and his wife Brenda loved travel, cuisine, gardening, theater, music, biking, hiking, car touring and museums. He had a passion for trains and engaged in HO scale model railroading and enjoyed many train trips in the US and around the world. They were blessed with careers requiring domestic and internation travel and often accompanied each other on these trips. In 1999 during a Paris, France trip, David met Brenda in line under the Eifel Tour. David will always be Brenda's "Eifel Tower Man". He loved and was so proud of his boisterous, fun-loving blended family. David and Brenda have had many beloved standard poodles and cats that completed the joy and love in their relationship.

David was incredibly kind and compassionate, generous, honest to a fault, witty, silly, and so loving. He is missed by all, and prayers have been given in thanksgiving that his earthly suffering has ended, and he rejoices in heaven.

A Memorial service for David will be held on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 700 Snelling Ave. S., St Paul, MN 55116. Visitation begins at 1:00pm, service is at 2pm, followed by refreshments. The service will be live streamed and copy available at the following link https://www.youtube.com/live/Am9Bqc2Cx10. 

Memorials can be given in David's honor to the Minnesota Humane Society or The Nature Conservancy.