It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Charles Henry Dahm Jr., M.D., of St. Louis, Missouri. Fortified with the sacraments of Holy Mother Church, he passed peacefully on August 15, 2025, at the age of 94 years and one day, surrounded by his beloved wife and children.
Born in 1931 in Missouri to the late Charles H. and Irma C. Dahm Sr., Charles first pursued a calling to the Church, spending seven years in seminary school discerning a vocation to the priesthood. Due to illness, he was unable to continue in the seminary and instead redirected his path toward medicine - dedicating his life to the care of others in a different, yet equally profound, way.
He began his academic studies at Saint Louis University in 1948 as a chemistry major, earning his M.D. from SLU School of Medicine in 1956. He completed his internship at SSM St. Mary’s Hospital - St. Louis and his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at SSM Health/Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Board-certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, he practiced for more than 40 plus years. A specialist in high-risk pregnancies involving diabetic mothers, he cared for each of his patients with extraordinary compassion-loving each of them, as he would say, “like my own children.”
A longtime and highly respected faculty member at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Dr. Dahm was known for his skill, compassion, and mentorship. His lifelong dedication to learning led him to make headlines when, at the age of 78, he earned his fourth degree from SLU, a remarkable testament to his intellectual curiosity and passion for education.
In 1967, Charles married Patricia Ann Sullivan, his beloved wife of 58 years. Together they built a family and a life rich in love, laughter, and shared memories. He was the devoted father of Gregory V. (Cynthia) Dahm, James P. Dahm, Michael J. (Haley) Dahm, Kathleen (John) Rutkoski, and Charles H. (Jennifer) Dahm III; and the proud grandfather of Clare, Brian, Adam, Andrew, Jacob, Timothy, James, Liliana, and Patrick. He was also blessed with a great-granddaughter, Emersyn. He was preceded in death by his sister Mary C. Dahm.
Family trips were an important part of Charles’s life - whether a simple Sunday drive or a longer adventure to Colorado, Washington, Virginia, Springfield, or Chicago. Most of these journeys were by train, blending his love for travel with his passion for railroads. He found joy in scenic train adventures and collecting small-gauge trains that he carefully set up for the enjoyment of himself and his children. A master storyteller, he often shared tales from his train journeys, including his favorite-how his father once received a call that the family would be transferred to New York so his father could work on the Manhattan Project. It was during this time that Charles’s lifelong love for the New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroads began.
Charles was also a gifted pianist with a deep love for classical music, often filling his home with melodies that reflected his grace, discipline, and artistic spirit. In his later years-when failing eyesight, arthritis, and declining strength made it impossible to play the piano or travel-he found comfort in listening to music, stories about trains, news about current politics, and the weather, sometimes for hours each day. Each evening, he made it a priority to check in with his children, asking about their day and their families. Even as his body failed, his mind remained sharp, and he cherished the opportunity to offer thoughtful medical advice to his kind caregivers whenever they learned he was a doctor.
Above all, Charles was the best husband and father his family could have hoped for. A man of deep Catholic faith, his devotion to God guided every aspect of his life-from his dedication to family and service to others, to his commitment to living with integrity, compassion, and humility. His faith was the steady foundation on which he built his life and the legacy he leaves behind.
Dr. Dahm’s life was defined by his devotion to his faith, his family, his patients, and his students. His influence will continue to be felt in the lives he touched and the generations of physicians he helped shape.
Services: Funeral Mass at Saint Clement of Rome, 1510 Bopp Road, Des Peres, Monday, August 25, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. with visitation one hour prior to mass. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Masses preferred, or contributions may be made to St. Vincent de Paul at Saint Clement of Rome Catholic Church or to the BackStoppers. Visitation at the SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, 14960 Manchester Road at Holloway, Ballwin, Sunday, August 24, 2025 from 3-7 p.m. Friends may sign the family’s on-line guestbook at Schrader.com.
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