Dr. Kurt M.W. Niemann, 73, died Monday, Oct. 4, 2005, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

He was a professor in the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His career spanned more than 40 years and he educated orthopaedic residents from 1969 to the present. During his long and rewarding career, he received many honors and appointment including Alpha Omega Alpha in 1959 and holder of the John D. Sherrill Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery from 1971-93. He also published numerous articles and contributed to orthopaedic advances in research and development throughout his career. He served on multiple professional and scholarly organizations and was past president of the Southern Orthopaedic Association and Clinical Orthopaedic Society.

He and his wife, Charlene, were active in medical missionary work in three countries, Colombia, Ecuador and Guatemala. One of his greatest accomplishments was the recognition of the need for an after-hours sports medicine clinic in the state, paving the way for future clinics of its kind.

In addition, he developed an exchange program with the University del Valle Department of Orthopaedics in Cali, Columbia. He was honored for his contributions in Colombia and accepted the Amigo Dilecto Award.

Niemann was active in the Birmingham community as well, serving as team physician for Mountain Brook junior and high schools, the Birmingham Americans WFL and the Birmingham Vulcans. He was co-director for the Sports Medicine Clinic of Birmingham from 1975-82 and was medical director for the Sports Medicine Institute of Alabama from 1982-93. He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Columbiana.

Service was Oct. 9 from 2-4 p.m. at Margaret Cameron Spain Auditorium at UAB, Charter Funeral Home directing. The family requests memorial donations be made to the Kurt M.W. Niemann Endowment Fund of UAB in care of the Department of Surgery, BDB 503, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0012