James M. Schweitzer, MD
February 6, 1949 – November 24, 2025

Jim Schweitzer passed away peacefully on November 24, 2025 in St. Louis, MO.
Born in St. Louis, Jim played many sports as a child including the St. Louis University High School basketball and track teams. He remained lifelong friends with teammates and continued to meet up with his group of "the Village Idiots." He played soccer in college at Notre Dame, where he remembered an infamous cafeteria food fight and cooking tuna casserole for his off-campus roommates.
Jim attended medical school at St. Louis University and chose to specialize in oncology after his mentor, Dr. Lester Zeffren, taught him that while not all cancer patients could be cured, all could be helped. Jim then completed his residency in Cincinnati, where his twin girls were born, and his fellowship in Hershey, where he shared with his daughters his love of chocolate. His lengthy oncology practice in both St. Louis and Thibodaux, LA earned him praise from his patients and from hospital and nursing staff for his kind bedside manner.
Throughout his life, Jim enjoyed road trips and travel abroad including to Canada, France, and Italy. Highlights also included travel to Poland to visit the family of his second wife, Sophia, and a special trip to Vietnam in the early 1990s. Jim also loved his Polish sighthound dogs, cooking, and adding to his absurdly vast collection of Christmas ornaments for his five Christmas trees.
He will be remembered for his sense of humor, intelligence, generosity, and spirit of service.
Jim was preceded in death by his wife Sophia Rdzanek, his parents Ann and Joseph Schweitzer, and his sister JoAnn Buchholz. He is survived by his daughters Julie Schweitzer and Kristen Foster and their mother, Paula Schweitzer; his sons-in-law Jordan Patty and Bradley Foster; and his dear granddaughter Eleanor Patty.
Services: Visitation will be held at Ortmann-Stipanovich Funeral Home, 12444 Olive Blvd, Creve Coeur, on Sunday, November 30 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Funeral mass will be held at St. Monica Catholic Church, 12136 Olive Blvd, Creve Coeur on Monday, December 1 at 10:00 a.m. with burial immediately following. In lieu of flowers, consider donations to the American Cancer Society or to the St Vincent De Paul Food Pantry at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church at 2618 S. Brentwood Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63144.

Ortmann Stipanovich Funeral Home  osfuneralhomes.com