In Loving Memory

Dr. Beat Urs Raess

July 24, 1945 · May 19, 2026

A teacher, scientist, and naturalist at heart — Beat Raess devoted his life to the twin pursuits of knowledge and wonder.

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His Life

Beat Urs Raess was born to Werner Raess and Nelly Raess (née Soldati), on July 24, 1945, in Zweisimmen, Switzerland, a small town in the Swiss Alps that instilled in him a deep and abiding love of the natural world. He would carry that love across an ocean and throughout his life, ultimately making his home in Indiana.

His intellectual curiosity led him to become a laboratory scientist at the University of Bern, Switzerland, under the mentorship of H.J. Schatzmann. He completed his training at the University of Washington, where he earned his PhD in 1980 and completed postdoctoral training in the Department of Pharmacology under Dr. Frank Vincenzi. It was the beginning of a distinguished scholarly career — one that would shape the lives of generations of physicians and scientists.

For 28 years, Dr. Raess served on the faculty at the Indiana University School of Medicine – Evansville, where he was a respected faculty member. He dedicated himself to teaching medical students with passion, earning teaching awards and helping educate a generation of physicians who now practice across Indiana and throughout the country.

His impact extended far beyond the classroom. As director of a research laboratory, Dr. Raess earned numerous grants and authored more than 35 published papers, accumulating nearly 1,000 citations, a testament to the rigor and significance of his scientific contributions.

To know Beat was to know someone who moved through the world with curiosity and a warm smile on his face. He carried reverence for the natural world and an appreciation for its beauty. His love of nature was as much a part of him as his science, both ways in which he appreciated the wonder of the natural world.

Among Beat's many accomplishments, none brought him more pride than his family. While working in Rochester, New York as a laboratory assistant, he met the woman who would become the center of his world. He fell in love with Lieselotte, and in 1970 they were married in her hometown in Austria. For over 55 years, they had a partnership full of love and devotion. Beat worked hard to provide for his family, pouring the same dedication into his home life that he brought to his laboratory and his students.

As a father to Philipp and Simone, he was playful and deeply present. He was the kind of father who made ordinary moments fun. He approached parenthood with the same generous spirit that defined everything he did: with patience, humor, and an open heart.

In his grandson, Beckett, Beat found boundless joy. They laughed, played games, and always loved swimming together in the pool. Beckett will grow up knowing he was deeply loved.

In his final years, Beat faced Alzheimer's disease with the same dignity that had marked his entire life. He passed away peacefully on May 19, 2026, surrounded by family, at the age of 80.

He Is Survived By: 

His beloved wife of 55 years, Lieselotte Raess; his brothers Peter (Lily) Raess and Heinz (Roesli) Raess and their families; his son Philipp Raess and his wife Nicole Fett; and his daughter Simone Raess, her husband Steven Lacroix, and their son Beckett Lacroix;.

Memorial Service:

10:00 AM, Saturday June 6th · Marquette Retirement Community, 8140 Township Line Rd, Indianapolis

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Memorial Contributions:

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to honor Beat's legacy in two ways that reflect who he truly was: his lifelong dedication to teaching and discovery, and his love of the natural world.

Indiana University School of Medicine – Evansville Memorial gifts may be made online at medicine.iu.edu/evansville/giving, or by check payable to "IU Foundation" mailed to:

IU Foundation · P.O. Box 7072 · Indianapolis, IN 46207-7072 Please indicate "In memory of Dr. Beat Raess" — Account #0380009767

Defenders of Wildlife Donations may be made at defenders.org in his honor.

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Dr. Beat Urs Raess · 1945 – 2026 · Indianapolis, Indiana