Bernhard Stahl

Bernhard "Bernie" Stahl, age 86, passed away peacefully in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, surrounded by his family, after a life defined by courage, determination and devotion to family and friends.

Bernie was born on January 6, 1940, in Vilnius, Lithuania to John and Johanna (Jekel) Stahl, whose families were German settlers there. His father was the chief city engineer of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, while his mother was a dentist with her own practice. Bernie’s earliest years were marked by the upheaval of World War II. His father was conscripted into the German Army as a Russian interpreter and was among the few survivors of the siege of Stalingrad. His mother worked as a dentist in displaced persons’ camps as she, Bernie, and his sister, Ingrid, were forced to move between Poland, Lithuania, and Germany as borders and allegiances shifted. After the war, the family was assigned to settle in a small town north of Hamburg. In 1952, sponsored by relatives who had previously immigrated to the United States, Bernie’s family came to America to start anew. Having crossed the Atlantic on a steamer ship, Bernie often recounted his memory of seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time as their ship entered New York Harbor. They eventually made their permanent home in Racine, Wisconsin, where Bernie’s father was fortunate to continue working as a civil engineer although his mother was unable to continue in her profession as a dentist.

Bernie's adventurous spirit became evident during his teenage years. At age 14, he bought his first motorcycle and built his own wooden boat to use on Lake Michigan. One of his most legendary feats was water-skiing nonstop across Lake Michigan from Wisconsin to Michigan—a journey that took more than six hours and earned him a feature in his hometown newspaper. For Bernie, adventure was never just a phase, but a lifelong pursuit.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Bernie earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin, where he first met Karen Nyholm during their freshman year in chemistry lab. After graduating, Bernie and Karen married and moved to Long Beach, California where he started his career working in the aerospace industry with McDonnell Douglas. During their years in southern California, Bernie obtained his private pilot license and the couple welcomed their children, John and Julie.

Driven by a passion for mathematical problem-solving, Bernie returned to graduate school at Northwestern University, earning a PhD in Structural Mechanics. He spent the remainder of his career in the oil and gas industry, as a research engineer with Amoco Production Company, primarily in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and later Houston, Texas. As part of Amoco's Offshore Technology group, he designed offshore drilling platforms in the North Sea, with a focus on structural safety and risk management. He frequently collaborated with engineering colleagues at major academic institutions and published numerous scientific papers. He was widely recognized as an expert in his field and received several international awards during his career. Even in retirement, he remained fascinated with mathematical modeling, devoting countless hours to developing formulas to predict stock market volatility.

Beyond his professional achievements, Bernie found joy in the outdoors and on the open road. He loved boating and camping with his wife and children on the lakes of northeastern Oklahoma, where many friends of all ages were taught to water ski. He continued his enthusiasm for motorcycles on his Honda Gold Wing, on which he completed multiple long-distance journeys, including the “Four Corners” ride to all four corners of the continental United States, and the demanding Iron Butt Ride, covering 1,000 miles within 24 hours. Bernie and Karen also enjoyed extensive travels together, including many trips exploring the country by motorcycle and in their RV.

Faith, music, and family were central to Bernie's life. Bernie and Karen were both devoted members of the United Methodist church wherever they lived. Bernie sang in church choirs as well as barbershop quartets and choruses. He took a particular delight in serenading his wife and others with “Heart of My Heart” and his other favorite barbershop songs. Bernie was known for entertaining friends and family by playing his German accordion and performing the "hambone”. Many others have credited Bernie with being the bridge that kept connections alive between extended family in both the US and Germany. After retirement, Bernie and Karen prioritized living near both sets of grandchildren, first in Greensboro, NC and later in Lancaster, PA where they moved into the Willow Valley Communities.

Bernie fought heart disease for several years with the steadfast and devoted care of Karen and her professional nursing skills. He is survived by his beloved wife Karen, son John (Susan) Stahl of Greensboro, NC, daughter Julie (Paul) Peachey of Lancaster, PA. He is also survived by his sister Ingrid (Jon) Hanson of Madison, Wisconsin and five grandchildren: Stephen (Kate), Sarah (Brady), Stanford, Erik, and Annaliese.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 7 at Saint James Episcopal Church, 119 N. Duke Street, Lancaster, PA 17603. A livestream option is available at https://youtube.com/live/ub65VsW8Jc0?feature=share. All are invited to a reception immediately following the service.

For those wishing to honor Bernie’s memory, the family suggests making a donation to one of the following organizations:

Mayo Clinic (cardiac amyloidosis research) https://give.mayoclinic.org/

Tau Beta Pi, engineering honor society https://www.tbp.org/giving

Saint James Episcopal Church https://www.saintjameslancaster.org/