Robert Louis Stauter, MD,JD,FACEP, of Warren, Ohio died Sep. 2 in the crash of Swissair Flight 111 in Nova Scotia. He was on his way to visit longtime friends in Geneva, Switzerland. He was born Sep 10, 1952 in Fonda, Iowa, He graduated from the Fonda Community High School in 1970. After graduation he attended the University of Iowa, where he received a degree in Elementary Education and General Science in 1973. After graduation he taught grade school in Ankeny, Iowa for one semester. The following fall he was accepted into the School of Medicine at the University of Iowa. During his senior year of Medical School, he chose to spend his elective rotations overseas. He worked in the Isle of Skye off the coast of Scotland, on oil platforms in the North Sea, at the Death and Dying Institute of Calcutta, India, at a remote location in the Philippines and with the flying doctors of Northern Australia. While in India his work drew the attention of Mother Theresa and he was served Communion by her.
He graduated in 1978 from the University of Iowa with a Doctorate of Medicine and was accepted into an Emergency Medicine Residency at Akron General Hospital in Akron. After his residency, Dr. Stauter accepted a position in the Emergency department of Trumbull Memorial Hospital, Warren Ohio. While working there he was an Assistant Professor of Medicine with the Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine.
While practicing as a full-time ER physician, he attended law school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He graduated with a Doctorate of Jurisprudence in 1988.
He enjoyed traveling around the world and was fluent in French and several other languages. Dr Stauter enjoyed operating airplanes and became a licensed pilot on his 16th birthday.
On Aug 31, 1998, he completed his commercial check ride. He held his commercial pilot's license with Glider Instructor and Instrument Airplane Ratings with many hours in rotary wing aircraft.
Dr. Stauter's other hobbies included scuba diving, photography, skiing, fishing and cooking.
Survivors include his parents Roy and Jean Stauter who live in Fonda, Iowa; three sisters, Mrs.Ross(Kathy) Nixon of Ankey, Iowa; Mrs. Brian (Jane) Smith of Omaha, Neb., and Carol Stauter of Spring Park, Minn.; his brother, Tom Stauter of Gainsville, Ga.; and several nieces and nephews and friends from around the world.

Relationship to the contributor; one of his many, many friends.

He was a very modest man with a quick whit. He never introduced himself to his patients as "doctor" but always just "Stauter...as if I'm stouter than you" He had a gift of being able to talk and relate to anyone, on any level.
Though he lavished gifts on others, he rarely spent money on himself. His apartment was modest and his car simple. He never bragged about his education, but often helped others further theirs.

Though known for his compassion Stauter could be tough when the situation demanded it. He would be there in a heartbeat if anyone became belligerent, and would step in to protect the staff. If you knew Stauter, you had a friend.
He is sadly missed.


🎼Song dedication: "What a wonderful world" by Louis Armstrong