Manfred Rolf Stahl

Manfred "Manny" Stahl - husband, dad, grandpa, brother, uncle, and friend - returned to his Eternal Home on January 4, 2024 at the age of 80, surrounded by his family. Manny's strength in the face of great adversity and his tenacity to fight health battle after battle over the years serve as an inspiration to everyone who knew him.
Manny was born on June 15, 1943 in Becskerek, Yugoslavia (present day Serbia) but his family soon moved to Graz, Austria. The fourth of five children, Manny was born in the middle of WWII. Seeking a safer life for his family, Manny's father, a Methodist minister, appealed to American churches to sponsor his family's passage to the United States. When Manny was nine, his family was sponsored by the First United Methodist Church in Owosso, MI, to immigrate to the USA and his father became their new pastor. The family later moved to Centerline, MI, where Manny graduated from high school. Following graduation, Manny attended Central Michigan University and was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. It was at CMU where Manny found lifelong friends in his fellow TKE brothers and where he met Kathleen Makinen, who would later become his bride. Manny graduated from CMU in 1966 with a BA in German and Education and went on to earn a MA in Education in 1972.
Manny and Kathy were married in 1967 and settled in Saginaw, MI. Manny began his career in education at Douglas McArthur High School working as a German teacher and a track coach. Manny would go on to serve as a high school administrator for the remainder of his career at Douglas McArthur and later at the new Heritage High School. Manny and Kathy's family grew with the arrival of their children, Lisa and Justin.
Manny was a big sports nut, passionately cheering on all of his local Michigan teams every chance he got. When Lisa attended Michigan State University and Justin attended the University of Michigan, Manny added those teams to his list of favorites. And when Justin went to work for the Chicago Bears, Manny became an official Bears fan too. He also loved collecting sports memorabilia and once owned a little sports collectibles store called "Instant Replay". One of his favorite summer pastimes was hitting up garage sales and antique shops looking for more vintage sports gear to add to his collection.
Manny was an avid tennis player and tennis was an important part of his life for many years. He had a wicked serve and he took great pride in using it! Manny loved watching tennis almost as much as he loved playing it, and watching the Wimbledon tournament was another highlight of every summer. Manny and Kathy also enjoyed traveling, and they experienced some incredible adventures. Some of their favorites were trips to China, Alaska, Italy, Norway, Aruba, and British Columbia.
Manny battled many serious health issues in his life, beginning with a diagnosis of leukemia in 1989 and a subsequent bone marrow transplant. He beat the odds and survived thanks to the miraculous gift of bone marrow from his sister Esther, and he went on to fight his way back from multiple rounds of pneumonia, graft-versus-host disease, two heart attacks, and a mini stroke. He learned to live with pulmonary fibrosis and a later diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. He also learned to live with daily pill regimens, regular doctor visits, and countless medical procedures and tests.
But throughout it all, Manny was rarely one to complain. He never questioned "Why me?" or saw himself as a victim. His faith in God never wavered and he never questioned God's plan for his life. Instead, Manny accepted each new health crisis with inspiring grace. He focused on the simple joys in his life (a football game on TV, a decadent German pastry, and going on long walks to name a few) and on the people he loved.
Manny was the definition of a "people person" and collected friends wherever he went. He struck up conversations with strangers and would draw out their life stories in no time. His biggest source of joy was found in the love he had for his family and close friends. Manny cherished family vacations, reunions, holiday get-togethers and celebrations of all kinds. He loved to play pranks, tease people, and tell jokes. Manny was known to burst into goofy songs or dances if the spirit moved him, and he was always up for a card game, sharing a pizza, or a day trip to a local casino. He was the loudest cheerleader at any game, concert, play, ceremony, or event his kids or grandkids were a part of, and he never missed an opportunity to tell them how proud he was of them and how much they were loved.
Manny was preceded in death by his parents, Reverend Lorenz Stahl and Hildagarde Stahl, his sisters Elfriede Richter and Esther Bauer, and his brother, Siegfried Stahl. Manny is survived by his wife of over 56 years, Kathy, daughter Lisa (Mike) Eischer, son Justin (Katherine) Stahl, grandchildren Evan Eischer, Madelyn Eischer, Grace Stahl, and Lucy Stahl, his brother Guenther (Chris) Stahl, nieces, nephews, and many lifelong cherished friends.
Those who were lucky enough to have Manny in their lives will feel his absence profoundly. They will miss his sense of humor, his generosity, his loyalty, and the big love he lavished on them. Manny was truly one of a kind.
A celebration of Manny's life will be held in the spring.