Lafayette Regional Campus Mourns Loss of David Reehlmann, LCSW
The Lafayette Regional Campus lost David Reehlmann, LCSW, a well-loved and respected faculty member, in May. Reehlmann was an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Coordinator of Behavioral Science for the Family Practice Residency Program based at LSU Health-University Hospital and Clinics in Lafayette.
Dr. Linda Oge, Section Chief of Family Medicine for the campus, said Reehlmann, a Vietnam veteran, worked for 42 years within the LSU System, first in Bogalusa and then in Lafayette. She described him as an avid outdoor enthusiast who loved camping and kayaking with friends. He was planning to retire at the end of May before his sudden passing.
Dr. Kristi Anderson, Director of Graduate Medical Education, spoke at his memorial service. She said, “David was a man who believed in service. I remember the tattoo he had on his arm that said ‘Army.' I can just picture him and his buddies by the barracks, smoking cigarettes and talking about all the things they were going to do when they got home and someone with a needle and some old pen ink, dotting that homemade tattoo on his forearm. It makes me laugh every time because it was so off kilter of what I imagine when I think of David hanging out with ‘the boys.' David was a beautiful spirit and he offered us kindness, gentleness and his unique way of making all of us feel noticed.”
Reehlmann's obituary notes that he was born in 1948 in New Orleans and that he obtained a bachelor's degree in sociology from LSU in 1971, prior to being drafted into the U.S. Army. His military occupational specialty was Social Work/Psychology Procedures which took him to Vietnam and Ft. Dix, New Jersey. He returned to Louisiana and obtained his master's degree in social work from Tulane University in 1975. He worked at the LSU Health-University Hospital and Clinics in Lafayette for 29 years. A celebration of his life was held in July.