Obituary for Earl Stahl Jr.
Earl Stahl, 89, passed away peacefully on November 22 at Mercy Medical Center of complications from Covid-19. Earl was born in South Bend, IN on Nov. 8, 1931, to Earl and Ora (Newton) Stahl. At Riley H.S. he was involved in band and choir and played lead singing roles in musical theatre. He studied vocal music at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music for two years and performed as drum major for the marching band. Earl transferred to Indiana University where he enjoyed performing and traveling with the Singing Hoosiers ensemble and earned a BA in Vocal Music Education. For the following eight years he taught K-12 vocal music in public schools in Wakarusa, IN, and Bucyrus, OH, and directed several church choirs. At the suggestion of an administrator who noticed Earl’s rapport with his students, Earl pursued a Master’s Degree in Psychology & Education at Ohio University and then worked as a school counselor in Bucyrus. He earned his Ph.D. in Counselor Education from Ohio State University. During those post-graduate studies years, Earl served 3 years in the Ohio National Guard and he remained a devoted patriot throughout his life. His family moved to Oshkosh in 1965 when he accepted a position as Professor of Counselor Education in the graduate program at the U.W.-Oshkosh. He became Chair of the Department in 1969 and retired in 1994 as Professor Emeritus.
Earl is survived by his wife of 25 years Laurel, his children Mark Stahl, Leonard Stahl, Gordon (Andrea) Stahl, David Stahl, Karl Stahl, and Katherine Stahl, stepchildren Erin (Vincent) Goffette and Chris (Janessa) Core, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his dear cousin Nola Raymond. Earl was preceded in death by his parents and four older siblings, including two sisters who succumbed to the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1919. He was also preceded in death by his first wife Suzann and their son Kurt, and by his second wife Alice and their son Kevin.
In retirement, Earl enjoyed gardening, wine-making, playing bridge, hunting, fishing, traveling, rock-hounding, genealogy, and writing poetry, as well as publishing a book and award-winning articles about wolves. Earl and Laurel enjoyed fly fishing with flies they learned to tie themselves. Earl had acquired the skill of hunting and a focus on conservation issues from his father, and it was then his pleasure to be able to share his love of outdoor activities of all kinds with his own children and grandchildren. He was a regular contributor of articles and book reviews on environmental issues to natural resources journals. He was currently a Winnebago County delegate to the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, serving on the Wolf Advisory Committee. He was a founding member of Wisconsin Wolf Facts (WWF) and, as a member of Wolf Education International (WEI), he consulted with experts from many countries, most recently at a meeting in Helsinki, Finland. He passionately played trombone in the Neenah Community Band. In summers, Earl participated in local classic car shows with his 1953 Ford Crestline Victoria, the same model as his very first automobile. Earl was a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Menasha where he served on the vestry and in the music ministry.
Our family is grateful for the wonderful medical care and genuine thoughtful attention Earl received at Mercy. It was Earl’s wish to not have a funeral service. His ashes will be interred in Ellenwood Cemetery, Oshkosh. If you wish to make a memorial contribution, please consider the Double Portion meal outreach ministry at St. Thomas Church, 112 Washington St., Menasha, WI, 54952.
Tight lines, Earl
Earl is survived by his wife of 25 years Laurel, his children Mark Stahl, Leonard Stahl, Gordon (Andrea) Stahl, David Stahl, Karl Stahl, and Katherine Stahl, stepchildren Erin (Vincent) Goffette and Chris (Janessa) Core, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his dear cousin Nola Raymond. Earl was preceded in death by his parents and four older siblings, including two sisters who succumbed to the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1919. He was also preceded in death by his first wife Suzann and their son Kurt, and by his second wife Alice and their son Kevin.
In retirement, Earl enjoyed gardening, wine-making, playing bridge, hunting, fishing, traveling, rock-hounding, genealogy, and writing poetry, as well as publishing a book and award-winning articles about wolves. Earl and Laurel enjoyed fly fishing with flies they learned to tie themselves. Earl had acquired the skill of hunting and a focus on conservation issues from his father, and it was then his pleasure to be able to share his love of outdoor activities of all kinds with his own children and grandchildren. He was a regular contributor of articles and book reviews on environmental issues to natural resources journals. He was currently a Winnebago County delegate to the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, serving on the Wolf Advisory Committee. He was a founding member of Wisconsin Wolf Facts (WWF) and, as a member of Wolf Education International (WEI), he consulted with experts from many countries, most recently at a meeting in Helsinki, Finland. He passionately played trombone in the Neenah Community Band. In summers, Earl participated in local classic car shows with his 1953 Ford Crestline Victoria, the same model as his very first automobile. Earl was a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Menasha where he served on the vestry and in the music ministry.
Our family is grateful for the wonderful medical care and genuine thoughtful attention Earl received at Mercy. It was Earl’s wish to not have a funeral service. His ashes will be interred in Ellenwood Cemetery, Oshkosh. If you wish to make a memorial contribution, please consider the Double Portion meal outreach ministry at St. Thomas Church, 112 Washington St., Menasha, WI, 54952.
Tight lines, Earl