Donald Zehl

1930 - 2018

Donald N. Zehl

Chapel Hill

Dr. Donald N. Zehl, age 88, passed away peacefully on October 10th, 2018. He was born on February 9th, 1930 in New Haven, Connecticut to Julia and Thomas Zelechosky. Don grew up working at his father's bakery in New Have with his two brothers and sister.

Don received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Connecticut. He received his Masters Degree from Yale University, and his Medical Degree from the University of Vermont. While in medical school, he married the love of his life, Susanne Jordan (they recently celebrated 64 years of marriage). He spent two years in the Public Health Service in Washington, D.C. and then did his Ophthalmology Residency at the University of Rochester in New York.

Don practiced medicine and surgery and was also Chief Resident and Professor Emeritus at the University of Rochester from 1963 until 1989. Don and Sue retired to North Carolina in 1989, where he was a volunteer professor at the University of North Carolina Medical School. They enjoyed traveling, friends and family, and especially loved vacationing on Keuka Lake in New York and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Don is survived by his wife Sue,and his sister Marian Fox, He is also survived by his three children and their spouses: son Jeff and his wife Laurie, daughter Pam and her husband Bill Brumitt, and son Stephen and his wife Suha. He is also survived by his grand and great grand children: Jackie Zehl, Stephanie and her husband Mike Venezia and their two children Aiden and Lilianne, William Brumitt, Philip Zehl, and Nicholas Zehl.