Obituary of Donna Laura Stahl, M.D.

Dr. Donna L. Stahl died peacefully at her home in Cincinnati on April 5, 2023, after a long illness. Donna grew up on a dairy farm in Davenport, Iowa with her parents Donald and Elta Stahl, and her beloved brother, Richard “Dick”. It is here that Donna and Dick learned the values of hard work and self-respect, as well as teamwork, respect for others, and an appreciation for and lifelong love of land and all animals. Her family home was full of laughter and good times. She received her bachelor’s degree from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois and went on to earn her medical degree from the University of Iowa in 1971. She came to Cincinnati in 1971 for her general surgery residency at Cincinnati’s General Hospital, now University of Cincinnati Medical Center, and subsequently made her home in Cincinnati. After residency in Cincinnati from 1971-1978, Donna worked on the surgical staff at UC, and became an associate professor of general surgery. She was very active in teaching. She then embarked on a long career of running her own breast cancer surgery practice encompassing multiple locations in Cincinnati. Young breast surgeons and longstanding employees came to join her. Her practice was huge, and women and men came from long distances to be seen. Donna and her office manager, head nurse, and friend, Rita Sauer, always put their patients first. They knew their patients over many, many years and often helped them make very difficult decisions. Donna’s friends know her as kind and gentle, one who loved a good meal and always had a fun “belly laugh”. Her friend Brett at “Birds Unlimited” in Montgomery understood her special link to animals, especially the deer outside her windows, birds, and all her cats, 3 of which survive her. Donna is preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Dick. She is survived by her sister-in-law Helen, her nieces Renee and Rita, nephew Randy, and great nieces and nephews, Stephanie, Courtney, Landon, Carson, and Ellington. Donna wanted her patients to know how grateful she was for their faith in her. She hopes all will remember the importance of breast cancer screening. We thank those who have been helping her at home: medical student Derrick, friend Rebecca, aides Brandi and Jessica, and of course, Rita. Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Cincinnati Zoo. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 11th from 4PM until the time of the final blessing at 6PM at Thomas-Justin Memorial, 7500 Montgomery Rd. (45236) Kenwood. She will make her final journey home to Iowa for her burial. Condolences and donations may be made through our website, ThomasJustinMemorial.com.