Milo D. Stahl

Milo D. Stahl, 82 Milo D. Stahl, the husband of Viola and father of David Stahl, Milonica Stahl-Wert, RaMona Stahl and Sonya Eberly, (all surviving him,) passed away on September 11, 2012 at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community. Mr. Stahl was born on March 27, 1930 in Juniata County, Pennsylvania where he lived with his father and mother Dewey and Mary Brubaker Stahl and his siblings Omar, Anna, Jacob, Sarah and John, all of whom, except Omar, survive him. In 1941 they moved to Harrisonburg to take advantage of the education opportunities provided by what was than Eastern Mennonite School and what is now Eastern Mennonite High School and Eastern Mennonite University. On June 18, 1955 Milo and Viola Diener, of Wellman, Iowa got married. In 1956 they moved to Harrisonburg, Virginia where they became members at Lindale Mennonite Church. Milo and Viola have continued to be committed to, and loved by the congregation there for these many years. Milo received his bachelors degree from Eastern Mennonite College and his masters degree from Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio. He went on to do doctoral work at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. Milo came back to Eastern Mennonite College to work as the Director of Learning Resources. Upon leaving EMC, he and Viola spent 10 years working in Jamaica under the auspices of Mennonite Central Committee. When they again returned to Harrisonburg Milo spent time and energy working in a variety of roles at Lindale Mennonite Church and also enjoying and working with Phi Delta Kappa. In addition he and Viola continued their work as trained facilitators for Marriage Enrichment seminars. After Viola had a car accident in 2000 Milo became her primary care giver until his health demanded that his energies be better spent on being her husband first and allowing others to be her caregivers. A deeply spiritual man, Milo lived out his belief in his God by committing himself to nurturing wholeness and healing in a variety of arenas. As a young man, in 1963 he was blessed to be able to attend the March on Washington and to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's, "" I Have a Dream"" speech. Milo shared King's vision for active peace making and as a husband and father he was intentional about taking time to build his relationships with his wife and children. In his professional life he took very seriously the opportunities he had to be a mentor to the students who worked with him. In the last number of years in addition to writing and publishing his memoirs, ""Learning to Love People and Use Things,"" he also wrote and published ""Shalom"" a work that reflected his understanding of life's calling, meaning and purpose. Many loved ones will mourn his passing and celebrate his life. These include the family members mentioned above and also his sons-in-law, John Stahl-Wert, Charles Eberly and David Cowardin and his daughter-in-law, Laura Pines Stahl and his grandchildren, Julia and Zoe Stahl, Emma and Clara Stahl-Wert, Brenna and Genevieve Cowardin, Heidi, Hannah, Joshua and Ian Eberly. Peg Engle will conduct a memorial service at Lindale Mennonite Church on Sunday, September 16 at 3:00 p.m. Visitation will be at Lindale Mennonite Church on Sunday, September 16 from 4:15-5:00 p.m. In addition there will be a Remembrance service at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community at Strite Auditorium on Wednesday, September 19 at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be sent to the Compassion Fund at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community 1491 Virginia Avenue, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22802. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.mcmullenfh.com. McMullen Funeral Home in Harrisonburg is in charge of arrangements.