Tribute to Dr Gunnar Stickler

Dr Gunnar B Stickler

Gunnar B Stickler

Gunnar at the SSSG Conference in 1999

Gunnar at the first SSSG Conference in 1994

Gunnar launching balloons at the first SSSG Conference in 1994

It is with much sadness that we have to report the death of Gunnar B. Stickler who passed away suddenly at his home in Wayzata, Minneapolis, USA on Thursday 4 November at the age of 85. Those of you who met Dr Stickler at our first SSSG conference in 1994, and again at our 10th anniversary conference in 1999 will remember him for his compassion, energy and unassuming manner. The world has lost a great charismatic man who cared passionately for his patients, and cared deeply for people affected by Stickler Syndrome. He was an active sportsman who loved competitive sailing, ski-ing, cross country ski-ing, tennis and iceboating.

He was very much a family man. He is survived by Duci, his wife of 54 years, his daughter Kati, son-in-law Mark Lovaas and their children Kristina, Alexandra and Karl as well as his son George, daughter-in-law Diana and their children Elsie and Kurt. A native of Southern Bavaria, Germany, Gunnar was a retired physician who practiced at the Mayo Clinic for 32 years. He was chairman of Pediatrics at the Mayo Clinic from 1969 to 1980, and a member of the editorial board of Clinical Pediatrics for almost 25 years. Gunnar also served on the editorial boards of Pediatrics (6 years) and the European Journal of Pediatrics (8 years). Throughout his life he contributed over 200 articles to medical publications. His achievements include the discovery and description of hereditary progressive arthro-opthalmopathy, which has since became known as 'Stickler Syndrome.'

A Bavarian 'Leichenschmaus' memorial supper celebrating Gunnar's life will be held on 14 November at 3pm at his daughter's home.

Gunnar B. Stickler was born on June 13, 1925 in Peterskirchen, Germany and attended the Wilhelmsgymnasium, Munich, Germany. Beginning in 1944, he studied medicine at the universities of Vienna, Erlangen as well as Munich. After graduation in 1949, he spent one year in clinical pathology and one in pathologic anatomy. In 1951 he emigrated to the USA after being accepted for an internship at the Mountainside Hospital, Montclair, New Jersey and subsequently for a fellowship in pediatrics at the Mayo Clinic. From 1953-56 he was a senior cancer research scientist at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York. In July 1958, he was appointed to the Staff of the Mayo Clinic in pediatrics. He was elected to the Society for Pediatric Research in 1962, and he later served as the President of the Midwest Society for Pediatric Research. In 1967 he was named as an official examiner of the American Board of Pediatrics, and became Professor of Pediatrics in 1969. In November of that year he was named Chair of the Section of Pediatrics. The Section was later named the Department of Pediatrics under Doctor Stickler's leadership in 1974 when Mayo Clinic combined the Sections of Pediatrics and Pediatric Cardiology. Under his leadership, the Department established a neonatal intensive care unit and an adolescent unit as well as clerkships in the new Mayo Medical School. Doctor Stickler served on the Admissions Committee and the Medical School Coordinator's Committee. He completed his term as Chair of the Department on March 31, 1980 and retired in the fall of 1989.

The Stickler Syndrome Support Group sends their sincere condolences to the family. He will be sorely missed by all.

There is a guest book site here where you can read (and add) other tributes to Gunnar.

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