Donald Edward Pohl M.D.

Donald Edward Pohl, M.D. June 27, 1921 ~ Jan. 23, 2010 Donald Edward Pohl, M.D. died peacefully in his home of 55 years with his family around him. He did so with the dignity he had sustained his entire life. He was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 1921 and enjoyed a happy childhood and adolescence distinguishing himself as an exceptional scholar and citizen. He was a colonel of the ROTC High School program of which he was very proud. He entered The University of Iowa beginning at age 17 and graduated in 3 years as a Phi Beta Kappa. He earned his M.D. at The University of Iowa School of Medicine. He was at the top of his class until he met his future wife, Marjorie Bestor. As World War II loomed, he joined the A.S.T.P (ROTC) at Iowa City. He was stationed at Staten Island, New York, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Rockford Illinois and a long stint as post surgeon at Battle Creek, Michigan. As the war ended, he enrolled in a Pathology Residency at the University of Michigan at Grand Rapids. He then served as an Internal Medicine Resident at the University of Nebraska. Subsequently, he initiated a Pathology Program at the University of North Dakota. He then trained at Boston City Hospital under Harvard Medical School faculty and became board certified in Internal Medicine. He then moved to Austin Texas in 1952 and began his practice on 15th Street. He was the second Internal Medicine specialist in Austin. He and his colleagues spent many lunches at El Toro in the beginning with "very little to do". His practice bloomed thereafter. He eventually became a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, passing a two day board certification process, of which he was very proud. From that point on he enjoyed a very full life, as an accomplished artist, a skilled pilot with over 3000 hours and flight all over the United States, Mexico and Europe. He was an intellect. He was a unique physician as a solo practitioner his entire career. He was a designated physician for President Eisenhower on a visit to Austin. He lectured at The University of Texas Law School, was the Medical Director of the TB Sanatorium in Austin, and was a motivational force behind the Holy Cross Medical Center in Austin. In his spare time he ranched red angus cattle in Fredericksburg on his beautiful ranch at Enchanted Rock. He was a world traveler, visiting seven continents. He retired in the year 1980 and remained a mainstay of the Teacher Retirement Systems for decades thereafter. For years following his retirement he remained well read, attended more than his share of medical meetings and probably knew as much medicine in his 80's as any internist in Austin. He leaves a legacy to his family. A unique individual, uncompromising in his sense of right and wrong, incredibly self reliant, independent and hard working, opinionated to the very end. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Marjorie Pohl; his 3 sons, William, James and his wife Bonnie, David and his wife Leslie; 14 grandchildren, Amy and her husband Todd Reid, Natalie and her husband Roy Horlock, Mindy Canale, Jennifer Pohl, Brooke Pohl, Jeffrey and his wife Tabatha Pohl-Moore, Kathryn and her husband Steve Dahill, Virginia and her husband Justin Papen, Elizabeth Pohl, Mary Caroline Pohl, Matthew Pohl, Luke Pohl, Julie and her husband Luke Musselman and Jake Pohl; 13 great- grandchildren, Cole, Blake, Carson and Sutton Reid, Trip, Keller, Ryan and Gray Horlock, Reese and Brynn Pohl-Moore, Avery Canale, Ashton and Graysen Papen. Services will be at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 3208 Exposition Blvd., at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 27, 2010. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Hospice Austin, 4107 Spicewood Springs Road, Austin, TX 78759. Obituary and guestbook available online at http://wcfish.com