Dr. Michael E. Fenoglio

Michael Eugene Fenoglio was born January 22, 1955, and entered into eternal life on May 5, 2012. He is preceded in death by his parents Melvin and Helen and a sister, Libby Webb. Surviving him and living on with the promise to make the most of everyday is his wife of 27 years, Debbie, two sons Andrew of Texas and Zachary of Denver, two daughters Megan of Texas and Melissa of Denver, a son-in-law Michael, and two granddaughters Kate and Reagan, all of Texas, a sister Cathy of Denver, a brother Stephen of Texas. He is also remembered and loved by his extended family, Paulette, Scott, Ray, Cecil, Steven and Tia and family, Sarah and Steven and family, Amy and Josef, Patrick, Trevor, Jared and family, Brittany, Gayle, Robyn, many cousins and a multitude of friends. Michael graduated as valedictorian from Nocona High School in 1973. He attended Midwestern State University and was accepted into medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch after three years of undergraduate school. He graduated from UTMB in 1980 and began his residency at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver. Throughout his residency, Mike received many awards including outstanding intern and resident. He joined Surgical Consultants in 1985 and maintained a very busy surgical practice until his retirement in November of 2006. He had a gift for healing and recognized that it was a gift to be shared with as many people as possible. He was innovative in the realm of laparoscopic surgery and was instrumental in bringing laparoscopic surgery to the Denver area and throughout the country. He was well respected in the field of surgery by his peers, as was shown in 5280 magazine where he was ""Top Doctor"" in the fields of general surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, and breast surgery. He was asked to lecture nationally as well as internationally. He was a well-respected teacher of medicine, but above all, Mike was the patient's doctor as he cared for each patient with unwavering dedication and tender loving care. He shared his gift in his practice, his teaching, his lectures, and his family. Three of his children have chosen careers in the medical field. Equal to his passion for medicine was his passion for life. He lived it fully, successfully marrying business with pleasure. His family enjoyed many travels around the world with him, as he carried his gift of medicine globally. Teaching and lecturing in places like England, Austria, Italy, Japan, Vietnam, Venezuela, and Mexico. He had an amazing since of humor and an infectious laugh. He was a conspirator of many practical jokes and none were spared being a target of his antics. He believed laughter and the human spirit were as much a part of healing as science and technology and shared jokes, whit, and laughter with his patients. He was an avid sportsman and chose Denver for his home so he could be close to the mountains he loved. Skiing, hiking, camping, hunting, he applied the same passion he had for work to his pursuit of pleasure in his beloved Rocky Mountains. His family and friends were included in his many adventures, creating memories that have supplied many a dinner table tale. Although Mike realized tremendous success he never forgot his roots, growing up in a small rural community in north Texas. He came from a large Italian/German family that provided him with an innate sense of family and self. His parents were educators and ranchers; they instilled in him a hard work ethic, the importance of education, and the responsibility to use the gifts he had been given. His greatest gift to his family and friends is wrapped up in this…live, laugh, love. A Rosary Service will be held Wednesday, May 9 at 7:00pm, at St. Vincent de Paul's Catholic Church. A Memorial Mass will be held Thursday, May 10, at 10:00am also at St. Vincent de Paul's Catholic Church. A reception will be held for family and friends following the Memorial Mass at Glen Moore Country Club. Memorial contributions can be made to the Association of Frontotemporal Degeneration at www.theaftd.org and to Saint Joseph's Hospital Foundation. We, the family, are deeply grateful for the overwhelming love, support, friendship, prayers, laughter and tears that have been shared with us. Thank you to those who have blessed our lives with your friendship. Our thanks seems so little, but our hearts are so full. You have sustained us and brightened our lives.