Raymond Walter Stahl

Raymond Walter Stahl, 80, of Naples, FL, and formerly West Hartford, died peacefully after a brief illness on Wednesday, November 1, 2006. His wife, Olive Girdler Stahl, son, William Karl Stahl, and sister, Dorothy Stahl Lyford, were by his side in the evening. Born to Hattie and Dr. Karl Stahl in Redfield, SD, August 14, 1926, Ray graduated from California High School in 1943 and enlisted in the US Navy during WWII, serving as a medic on the hospital ship USS Benevolence in the Pacific. In 1946 he married Anna Louise Easton, his wife of 57 years who predeceased him in 2004. Their son, William Karl Stahl, was born November 28, 1947. In 1948 Ray joined The Travelers as a Claim Representative, while still a student at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA and then earned his law degree from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA in 1954. The family then moved to West Hartford, when he was asked to head up The Travelers Claim Department in the home office in Hartford. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Executive Program. His distinguished career of 40 years with The Travelers continued until his retirement as Senior Vice President, Casualty Property Personal Lines and Agency Operations in 1988. The Chairman of the Board at that time, Edward Budd, noted, "Ray Stahl exemplifies all the standards of integrity, dedication and leadership which make The Travelers a great company. He was a forceful leader in setting high standards for integrity in providing the best customer service." In 1990 Ray was named to the Presidential Commission on Catastrophic Nuclear Accidents formed after the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl, Russia. Prior professional leadership positions included Chairman for the Asbestos Claims Council, National Automobile Theft Bureau, Insurance Crime Prevention Institute, and Underwriters Salvage Co. Ray was actively involved in the Greater Hartford community, serving in leadership and board positions with the Hartford Chamber of Commerce, The United Way of the Capital Area, Hartford Rotary Club, YMCA of Hartford, United Church of Christ on Flagg Road, and Church Homes, Inc. He was a recipient of the Robert C. Knox, Jr. YMCA Distinguished Leadership Award in 1991. He was honored with the Greater Hartford Chamber of Commerce Charter Oak Leadership Medal in 1977 for his outstanding service on the Chairman's Education Committee, implementation of bilingual education programs in Hartford schools, and as a Trustee of the Hartford Easter Seal Rehabilitation Center. After the death of his only grandchild, Kristina Ann Stahl, in 2003 the Stahl family together endowed a Teacher Mentor Program for Kingswood-Oxford School, West Hartford, and the Kristina Stahl Creative Writing Fund at Colby College, Waterville, ME. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandparent who will be remembered for his generous heart and love for his family. He was a member of the Country Club of Farmington and enjoyed golfing many years in Florida. He was a member of the United Church of Christ, Naples, FL, serving as a Stephen Minister and volunteer for the Alzheimer's Support Network. He is survived by his wife, Olive Stahl, resident of Moorings Park, Naples, FL, his son and daughter-in-law, William and Karin Stahl of Farmington, his sister and brother-in-law, Dorothy and Wayne Lyford of Brookings, SD, his brother and sister-in-law, Dr. K. John Stahl and Patricia of Grand Lake, CO, and his nieces and nephews; Eric Stahl, Karen Stahl Tuerk, Linny Janssen and Cindy Holberg. Memorial services will be held November 15 in Naples, FL, and November 20 at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church, 814 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Raymond Stahl may be made to Kingswood-Oxford School, Attn: Stahl Teacher Mentor Program, 170 Kingswood Road, West Hartford, CT 06119.