Trailblazing Minnesota dermatologist Dr. Charles Crutchfield III dies at age 62

EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) - A renowned Minnesota dermatologist has passed away. Dr. Charles E. Crutchfield III died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. He leaves behind a remarkable legacy of accomplishments and service.  Dr. Crutchfield was 62 years old. 

The acclaimed physician was a trailblazer in the medical field. Dr. Crutchfield ran a private practice in Eagan for a number of years. He was also a clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Black Enterprise magazine named him one of the top ten dermatologists in the country, and he was considered one of the most influential healthcare leaders in Minnesota.

Dr. Crutchfield also served as the team dermatologist for the Minnesota Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild, and the Lynx. He is well-known for his contributions to the state's Black community, often writing for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder newspaper. FOX 9's Bisi Onile-Ere spoke with the paper's CEO.

"The world is filled with so much chaos and so much evil to know that somebody as kind and as gentle as and caring as Dr. Crutchfield was, to lose him is really sad because there's not enough people like him that we have to look to. To really know that he cares about the community, know that he cares and loves his family dearly, and he's just a loving, kind person, and he'll be sorely missed in the community," said Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder CEO and Publisher Tracey Williams-Dillard.

The University of Minnesota Medical School issued a statement on Dr. Crutchfield's passing that reads in part: "Dr. Crutchfield was a beloved colleague and an outstanding physician in our community, as evidenced by the outpouring of grief from all who knew him at the University of Minnesota Medical School. His passion for educating the Black community was strong on matters of health and wellness as evidenced through his service as Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder’s senior medical advisor."

Dr. Crutchfield came from a family of prominent Minnesota physicians. He is said to have touched the lives of thousands of people.