Harry Sticler MD

Harry Stickler MD

June 17th 1915 Omaha, NE

Sept 18th 2009 Newport Beach, CA

Harry Stickler wanted to be a doctor

from age eight when his father died

of tuberculosis and he wondered “if

the doctors could have done more”.

And train he did, earning his M.D. at

the University of Nebraska Medical

School in Omaha. and interning

at the University of Pennsylvania

Medical School in Philadelphia. His

residency in Internal Medicine was

completed at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Harry married his high school sweetheart Ruth Newell in 1941

and they moved to California where Harry served as a medical

of+cer at the Santa Ana Air Force Base Hospital and with the

Air Force in Japan during WWII where he met with General

Douglas MacArthur. After the war, Harry and Ruth decided to

settle in Newport Beach to raise their family and Harry began

his medical practice. He was among the first group of physicians

at Hoag Hospital when it opened in 1953. Harry loved the

closeness of Hoag’s early days, “You knew the gardeners, the

cafeteria people as well as the medical staff and administrator,

Winifred Bacon’”. He served as Hoag’s Chief of Staff in 1962-

63 and was on the hospital’s board of directors from 1974-1977.

Harry retired in 1985. His professional peers called Harry “a

doctor’s doctor” and his patients called him “their friend and

their doctor”. He was even known to care for one of his patients

sick English bull dogs.

Physicians from other areas, newcomers to the close- knit coastal

group, said that Harry welcomed and encouraged them referring

patients to them according to their specialized training and

skills. One doctor even recalled that Harry told him to “shine

your shoes to look more professional.”

Harry showed his compassionate qualities early and throughout

his life and his grandchildren always appreciated his great

storytelling!

While selling men’s clothing during high school and college in

Omaha, he befriended a lonely, out of town customer, inviting

him home for dinner. Once his visitor met Harry’s widowed

mother, a romance began which led to their eventual marriage.

Once, Harry was with pastor Father Nevin and Harry noticed

that Father Nevin was cold. He offered him his black

sweater which Father Nevin said later that he wanted to be

buried in.

During Harry’s last stay at Hoag Hospital, the nurse who was

assigned to him showed him her stethoscope which Harry had

actually given her many years ago after hers had broken.

Harry lost Ruth, his loving wife of 58 years in 1999. He continued

to be very active at St. Joachim Parish where he met and married

Peggy Hall in 2001 who shared his life from that moment on and

brought him much happiness over the last eight years.

Harry passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by his

entire family on Sept 18th at age 94. On Thursday, the 15th

of October, a rosary will be said at 10:30 followed by a memorial

mass at 11:00 at St. Joachim Church located at 1964 Orange

Ave., Costa Mesa. A luncheon reception will immediately

follow.

Harry is survived by his wife Peggy, son, Newell (wife Debbie),

daughter, Jeannie Osborne (husband Denny), eight grandchildren

and eleven great grandchildren.