Daily Sitka Sentinel

Dr. Thomas AlanStengl

    Dr. Thomas Alan Stengl, who practiced in Southeast Alaska, including Sitka, from 1969 to 1998, died suddenly June 11 in Bismarck, N.D. He was 79.
     Family services were to be held.
    Tom was born Feb. 12, 1933, in Rhinelander, Wis., the son of Olidine “Pat” and A.O. “Del” Stengl. He graduated from Rhinelander High School in 1951, and from the University of Minnesota with an MD degree in 1958.
    He married Pat Bergman June 21, 1958.
    He was in the U.S. Air Force as a flight surgeon 1959-61, then returned to the University of Minnesota where he completed an ear, nose and throat residency in 1965. He practiced  in St. Paul, Minn., until 1969, then moved his family to Alaska, a place he had always wanted to go.
    The family lived in Southeast, in Juneau and in Sitka, until he retired in 1998. They then moved to Bismarck.
    Tom was an avid hunter, with many game trophies. He also loved to fish, and took second in the 1975 Golden North Salmon Derby in Juneau with a 35-pound king salmon.
    His dogs, first Ralph and then Pookie, were his constant companions. More recently he took to fly fishing, and was interested in teaching newcomers the art of fly-tying.
    He also loved astronomy and photography. He was amazed by technology, and was proud to be keeping up with family on the social networks.
    He is survived by Pat, his wife of 53 years; children Del of Sitka, Cheryl Krueger of Vancouver, Wash., and Susan (Gary) Betting of Bismarck; grandchildren Theo Betting, Sadie Betting and Samson Stengl; and a sister, Jill Rassbach of Rhinelander.