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REMEMBERING STEVE WALD
Dr. Steven (Steve) Lewis Wald, age 73, die on Tuesday, January 12, 2021. He was born on June 2, 1947 to Henry and Margaret (Gretl) Wald in Lincoln, Nebraska. Steve lived in Gainesville, Florida at the time of his death.
Steve Wald grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. He married Linda Susan Semmler while studying to become a surgeon at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Steve began his medical career at the University of Cincinnati hospitals. In 1980 he advanced to the position of chief resident in neurosurgery. While in Cincinnati, Steve and Linda celebrated the birth of their children. Aaron David was born in 1975, and Sarah Schoen was born in 1978. The family then relocated to Shelburne, Vermont, where Dr. Wald continued his career as a neurosurgeon and professor at the University of Vermont. He retired at a relatively young age in 2001. When considering the death of his wife Linda in 2006, Steve described his early retirement as, "The smartest thing I ever did.”
Steve was a loving husband and father. He was praised for his surgical skills, as well as his bedside manner with his patients. He was able to raise the spirits of his patients and their families often in the worst of circumstances. He worked tirelessly to help the children of Vermont and New England live normal lives despite their neurological maladies. Spending any time in public with Dr. Wald, even years after he retired, meant frequent stops to receive appreciation and gratitude from his former patients and their families.
In his retirement, Steve enjoyed improving his golf game, both in Vermont and in Palm Desert, California where he lived from 2008 until just recently. He regularly scored in the low 80s and high 70s, and even scored several holes in one. Steve relished the opportunity to keep score for several tour professionals during tournaments held at his home course.
Steven Wald is survived by his daughter Sarah, his son Aaron, and his brother Kenneth and sister-in-law Robin. His three grandchildren are Lina Wald, and Henry and Eloise Clark.
Services for Dr. Wald were held Sunday January 17, 2021 at 1:00 PM via Zoom.
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Bill Nefsky
Steven was a very studious and focused long time friend of mine when at LSE. Although we had not seen or communicated with each other in recent years, I heard about his great career as a surgeon. He will be missed! Rest In Peace old friend!
Bruce Watson
This is a hard one. He was truly a good guy. We were in mostly the same classes and sports in Junior High and HS. He was brilliant. He was athletic, strong and fast. He was gifted and worked very hard, a powerful combination. We were the two shortest guys among the people who played sports and thereby got paired a lot in Gym classes. When I beat him in anything, it was a huge event because it almost never happened. But he was encouraging and always kept me trying. I thought about him many times over the years and was not at all surprised to learn he had become a neurosurgeon, it was predictable. What a meaningful life he lived. There was no one over those six years I respected more.
John Tidball
When Steve and I were undergrads at UNL we took a short cut through Morrill Hall back to our fraternity houses during the cold winter. Steve took advantage of these days to memorize the genus and species of a different dinosaur every day! By the time our biology class took a tour through Morrill Hall, Steve could have been a tour guide. What a mind and memory. I last saw Steve when he gave a moving presentation at LHS about the Holocaust. He read letters from his grandparents who were lost in Germany during WWII and recounted what his family had to deal with.
Carol Thompson (Miller)
Steve and I had several classes together and due to alphabetical seating, were often seated close together. He was always so happy and funny and I was assured a laugh or two during each class. I loved being around him as he lifted the spirits of so many. Although I only saw you at our reunions, I will miss you.
Michael Tavlin
Steve and I became aquainted, as is often the case, because our parents were good friends. Although our high school years were only 3 in number, we had known each other for many, many years and my memories go back to our good times together before and at LSE. Steve obviously lived a special life, touching the lives of others in uncommon ways and, although in later years we only saw each other at reunions, I will miss him as will all who have known him.
Robin Hamblet
This is hard. Steve was a really good guy and I always hoped I would see him again. The Walds lived 1 block North on 33rd and were a big part of the neighborhood games and social life. My 1st taste of wine was at his Bar Mitzvah, when Steve snuck treats and wine out the side door to the assembled crowd of kids. I am not at all surprised he had such a full and happy life.
Gary Peterson
Steve Wald was a good friend of mine during junior and senior high at LSE. I lived close to him and we had a number of fun adventures together with others from our neighborhood. I remember him as being very smart, engaging, a joy to be around, trustworthy, and a leader that you knew would certainly have a meaningful life in adulthood---and he certainly lived up to all the expectations he inspired. Like Robin Hamblet, I was also an attendee at Steve's bar mitzvah which I remember as a great celebration of a young man you just knew would be successful at whatever he decided to do---and I remember now the wine that Steve smuggled out for us and Robin recalls in his memorial essay. Steve was also very athletic, and a great competitor whose skills were demonstrated as a varsity wrestler for LSE. After graduating from LSE, I saw Steve occasionally during college but didn't connect with him after that. I did later find him in searches on the internet and was aware of his success as a talented surgeon. Steve was a person who was talented in so many ways who enriched people's lives just by being Steve---because he had so much to offer.
Jeff Hancock
Grew up with Steven on South 33rd street. Went K-6 at Sheridan together. Did Cub Scouts together, Pack 41 Den 3 at Westminster Presbyterian. Steven's father Henry told us thrilling stories of his escape from Nazi Germany. I attended Steven's Bar Mitzvah on June 3rd 1960. He was impressive flawlessly executing several memorized parts. Because of this wonderful LSE site I reached Steven by phone this past summer and we had a great chat. We had not spoken since 1961 when my family moved away from Lincoln. What a blessing to reconnect on a meaningful level with a old friendq. I'm very grateful for the opportunity. A
Jim Moses
Why is it when I feel so melancoly when our memory page gets longer? I think of Dr. Steve in grade school when we were often on the same softball team. I think of his dad who did our family income tax returns every year. I think of Steve and I at LSE through the 6 years we spent together. I think of whatever Steve lacked in size, he made it up for in intellegence. I think of the common bond we shared as medical professionals. I think of the way Dr. Steve gave back to his fellow man. As a class, we have suffered a great loss. Our Christian classmates will say Dr. Steve has gone on to his final rewared. The loss is great. The friendship remains. So glad I could connect with him at our 50th.