Dr. David Samuel Rasmussen-Taxdal

RASMUSSEN-TAXDAL , Dr. David Samuel Dr. David Samuel Rasmussen-Taxdal, age 83, of Winter Haven, Florida, passed away July 6, 2010 surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife, Lucia Taxdal; children, Victoria, Tore, Erica, Adele, Andrea and Sage; and 9 grandchildren, Ruth, Rose, Ariel, Henry, Rachel, Sara, David, Emily and Matthew. Dr. Taxdal was born November 2, 1926, in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and was raised in Nanticoke, PA. He served in the Navy's Under Water Demolition Team (UDT) as a "frogman" during World War II; the UDT mission at that time was to sink Japanese ships in their home harbor during the expected invasion of Japan by the US. This service was the predecessor of what is now the Navy's SEAL program. On his discharge from service, Dr. Taxdal attended the University of Maryland School of Medicine on the GI bill and was nominated to the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society. He then trained in neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was Chief Neurosurgical Resident and then Instructor, while at the same time conducting original cancer research during his five year residency. For his research efforts he received several grants from the American Cancer Society; his contribution to the field was the use of hematoporphyrins to cause cancer cells to fluoresce, rendering them visibly identifiable so they could be surgically removed. He also co-authored numerous publications on aspects of neurosurgical practice including important early work on the blood - brain barrier. Despite a superb preparation for an academic career, Dr. Taxdal chose the clinical practice of neurosurgery. One of the first fully trained neurosurgeons in central Florida, he practiced in the mode of a "circuit rider," traveling to various hospitals in the area that needed a neurosurgeon for one of their patients. In 1964 he settled his family in Winter Haven to establish what is now Neurology and Neurosurgery Associates of Winter Haven. In 1956, Dr. Taxdal married Lucia Monteiro of New Orleans, LA. Their first three children were born during his medical residence in Baltimore, the second three after the family's move to Lakeland, FL. Sharing a mutual interest in pre-Columbian art, Dr. Taxdal and his wife traveled extensively in Central America investigating and acquiring examples of Pre-Columbian artifacts. Most of this collection is gifted to the Polk Museum of Art (Lakeland, FL) where it is on permanent display and accessible for educational purposes at all times. Dr. Taxdal also enjoyed playing bridge, flying his private airplane, playing tennis and golf, traveling, and above all, following his children's interests. He loved to read and had extensive interests in a variety of subjects including world affairs, art, music, and literature.
A memorial service was held at the Polk Museum of Art, 800 East Palmetto St, Lakeland, FL 33880 Thursday, July 8, 2010.