Dr. Mae Wolslegel joins the practice; Dr. Ronald Klare retires after nearly 50 years

Joseph Botta, M.D. and Associates, LLC, a concierge primary care practice serving the Northeast Connecticut community, today announced that Dr. Ronald Klare will retire from active clinical practice on December 31, 2026, following nearly 50 years of caring for patients in the community where he grew up. Joining the practice to continue that legacy of care is Dr. Mae Wolslegel, a seasoned internist with more than 15 years of experience, who will begin seeing patients in early November 2026 and is now accepting new patients. The practice also announced the promotion of Suzanne Reardon from Registered Nurse to Nurse Practitioner, adding a fourth clinical provider to its care team.

The practice is holding an open house for the community to meet Dr. Wolslegel and Suzanne Reardon, FNP. The open house will be held on September 19 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the practice’s offices located at 24 South Main Street in Putnam, CT.

Dr. Klare has served the region as both a primary care internist and a critical care physician, and has been a vital member of the medical community in northeastern Connecticut throughout his career. He began practicing alongside his father, Dr. Rudy Klare, establishing Woodstock Medical Group, before joining Joseph Botta, M.D. and Associates for the final years of his career. Over the course of nearly five decades, Dr. Klare has cared for multiple generations of families throughout the region, touching countless lives through his skill, compassion, and dedication.

“Dr. Klare’s contribution to this practice, and to this community, is impossible to overstate,” said Dr. Joseph Botta. “For nearly fifty years he has cared for our neighbors with unmatched skill, compassion, and dedication, following in the footsteps of his father before him. We have been fortunate to benefit from his experience, knowledge, and mentorship these past several years, and while we are thrilled for him as he begins this well-deserved next chapter, his retirement marks the end of an extraordinary career of care for patients in our region and in our practice.”

To ensure continuity of care for his patients, Dr. Klare will remain with the practice through December 31, 2026, working alongside Dr. Wolslegel to personally guide the transition of his patients into her care.

Dr. Wolslegel is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine who earned her medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her internship and residency at Frankford Hospital (Aria Health) in Pennsylvania. She is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine and brings more than 15 years of experience in internal medicine, including training in osteopathic manipulative treatment.

Most recently, Dr. Wolslegel served as an Internal Medicine doctor with Reliant Medical Group in Webster, Massachusetts. Her comprehensive and caring approach is a natural fit for the practice’s own philosophy of patient care: emphasizing preventive health and treating the whole person rather than an isolated complaint. She will join Dr. Botta, Dr. David Candow, and Dr. Klare at the practice’s Putnam, Connecticut office beginning in early November 2026, and is currently accepting new patients.

In addition, the practice announced that Suzanne Reardon has been promoted from Registered Nurse to Nurse Practitioner, effective August 2026, becoming a fourth clinical provider at Joseph Botta, M.D. and Associates. Reardon holds an Associate Degree in Nursing from Capital Community College in Hartford, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, and a Master of Science in Nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner specialty, also from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine.

Reardon has been a registered nurse for 11 years, with experience in the emergency department at Windham Hospital, where she worked for a total of 20 years, and most recently as a care management virtual nurse with Trinity Health of New England. She joined Joseph Botta, M.D. and Associates as a registered nurse in February 2026 before transitioning into her new role as a Nurse Practitioner in August 2026.

A Windham resident, Reardon will work alongside the practice’s physicians as a physician extender, assisting with patient care. She particularly enjoys direct patient care and taking the time it takes to care for people and treat them like family.

“Dr. Candow and I are truly excited to add Suzanne to our provider team after decades of exceptional work as a nurse in our region,” said Dr. Botta. “And we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Wolslegel to our practice as well. Her depth of experience in internal medicine, and her commitment to unhurried, whole-person care, reflect exactly the kind of personalized medicine our patients have come to expect from us. We know she will be a wonderful fit for our community, and we are grateful that her arrival gives Dr. Klare’s patients a seamless and caring transition to their next physician.”

Patients of Dr. Klare will be contacted directly regarding the transition of their care, and current and prospective patients with questions are encouraged to contact the practice.