In Memoriam – William Bohnert, MD
January 26, 1940 - June 2, 2025
Western Section AUA Past-President 1996
Joyce & Bill Bohnert at the WSAUA 2011 meeting in Vancouver BC. They rarely missed a meeting until declining health forced Bill to miss the 2023 meeting in Lake Tahoe. According to Joyce, in a call to the Western Section office, the Western Section meetings, committee activities and social involvements at the meetings were one of the most enjoyable aspects of their lives. Bill truly loved urology and loved taking care of his patients.
Western Section suffers loss of Past-President Bill Bohnert, MD
Dear Colleagues,
It is with a heavy heart that I share the profound loss of Dr. Bill Bohnert — a towering figure in our field, a cherished mentor, and a true friend to so many of us in urology. Dr. Bohnert served with distinction as 1996 President of the Western Section AUA and 2014 President of the American Urological Association.
But to those of us who had the privilege of knowing him personally — including our 2010 AUA Leadership Class (Dan Lin, Aaron Milbank, Chris Porter, and myself) — he was far more than his titles. Bill was a steady hand and guiding voice in our professional journeys. He taught us how to lead with integrity, humility, and a deep sense of purpose.
He was a tremendous icon in urology — someone whose wisdom, warmth, and example left an indelible mark on our specialty. His passing is a deep loss for the Western Section and for urology as a whole.
Bill reminded us of what makes our field so special: not just the science, but the community. He uplifted those around him and left urology better than he found it. For that, we are forever grateful.
He will be deeply missed.
Eugene
Eugene Rhee, MD, MBA, WSAUA President 2025
Dr. Bohnert was in private practice since 1970 and was a senior member of Arizona Urology Specialists in Phoenix, AZ until retirement from clinical practice in July 2014. Dr. Bohnert received his MD degree in 1965 and completed his general surgery and urologic residency in 1970 at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana. He also served in the Indiana National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve. Dr. Bohnert previously served on the AUA Board of Directors as the Western Section Representative from 1999 to 2003. He has served on the Practice Guidelines Committee and Guidelines Oversight Committee and was a mentor in the AUA leadership Program. Dr. Bohnert was 2014-15 President of the AUA, and served on numerous committees at the AUA Western Section and as President from 1995-1996. His meeting was in San Diego at the Hyatt Manchester. Dr. Bohnert was the recipient of the 2010 Gold Cane Award for devotion to patient care and outstanding contributions to the AUA. He has also been on the Board of UROPAC and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Catholic Healthcare West Arizona. In addition, he has served on committees and boards of local, regional and national urologic and medical societies and foundations for more than three decades. Dr. Bohnert was a member of the WSAUA since 1974.