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David Marc Kahler, MD

David Marc Kahler, MD

September 20th, 1959 - August 9th, 2020

He leaves a trace of himself in his family members and friends who remember him, and in his love for his only daughter, who will likely change the world.

Biography


Obituary for David Marc Kahler – September 20, 1959 – August 9, 2020


Written by David Kahler, renowned orthopedic surgeon and aspiring writer


Had he successfully negotiated with the angry spear wielding Masai warriors blocking his way, this might have been just another great story in the life of a man who was incredibly lucky through his entire existence.  Well, lucky most of the time, anyway.  Okay, some of the time.


David Marc Kahler died too soon, at the age of 60.  He was an Eagle Scout, and later an orthopedic surgeon, and he never lost his amazement at the beauty of the natural world. He loved the power of the wind while sailing, the fury of thunderstorms, and the change of the seasons.  He loved his tractor and his lake.  He loved his wife and he will always love his daughter, Katherine. He had a love/hate relationship with his beagle-ish dog.


He was a good, not great, fly fisherman, not as good as his brother.  He became a keen student of human nature while treating all comers in his orthopedic practice.  He had to retire a little earlier than he had planned, just as he was getting really good at orthopedic surgery.


He helped thousands of people to experience better lives during his years of treating patients.  He never saved a life, although he certainly prolonged some (no one ever saves a life, we all die, as he has now proven). He taught as a professor at the University of Virginia for his entire medical career and influenced the lives and futures of his many students, although not all of them liked him.   


He was well-published.  He became an Emeritus Professor and writer after he had to retire due to a neurologic issue.  He was grateful that his practice spanned a period of the greatest advancements in medical technology in history.  He was one of the first to see the benefits of computer-assisted surgery, and three-dimensional imaging during surgery.  He spent his last days writing in a nice house in the country with really great views and friendly neighbors, and blueberry bushes.


He took with him, as everyone does, the memories of a lifetime of fantastic experiences and friendships, as well as unfulfilled and unspoken private hopes and dreams and regrets.  He was not a perfect person; none of us are.  But he became a better person after surviving his most recent near-death experience, right up until his death.


He leaves a trace of himself in his family members and friends who remember him, and in his love for his only daughter, who will likely change the world. And, like all of us who do not make history, he will be completely forgotten in about a century, or less, as it should be.  


He wished that all of you will be kind to each other and enjoy the Earth as he did, and also to remember that our problems are only as big as we make them.  After all, it could have been worse. It can always be worse.

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Family

About

Name David Marc Kahler, MD
Date of Birth September 20th, 1959
Date of Death August 9th, 2020
Home Town Charlottesville, VA, US 
In Memoriam Donation Kahler Lectureship in Orthopaedic Trauma
In Memoriam Donation Charlottesville Albemarle County SPCA
Family

Family

SiblingsChristoper Knight Kahler, Geoffrey Lee Kahler, James Hall Kahler, Sally Kahler Phillips
ParentsDiane Dunn Kahler, Jan Ann Knight Kahler, Richard Lee Kahler
ChildrenKatherine Anne Kahler
Grand-ParentsElizabeth Roth Dunn, Lewis Russell Kahler, Odette Mazieres Kahler, Philip Edgar Dunn
Milestone

Milestones

1977 - 1981 Dartmouth, BA Biological Sciences
1981 - 1985 Tulane Medical School, Medical Doctor
1991 - 2017 Orthopaedic Surgeon, University of Virginia

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Wilford Gibson published a tribute .

I served on the VOS BOD with Dave as president around 2002-2006. I believe he gave me credibility I didn’t deserve due to our mutual friend and his Tulane classmate Roger Timperlake. . We tackled podiatry scope of practice, PT direct access, medical liability reform and creation of our state ortho PAC among other issues. The accomplishments were huge but seem so small in comparison to his friendship and life. I miss him. I can only strive to be as kind and thoughtful. Fair winds and following seas.

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Mike Pannunzio published a tribute .

I was a resident under Dave from 1993 - 1999 and then a partner of his in the Department from 2000-2006.
Dave was an exceptional orthopedic surgeon. He was a jack of all aspects of orthopedic surgery and master of some. He was the youngest department member when I met him -- freshest out of training. Residents would brag how he could "ace" the in-training exam. After getting to know him, I had no reason to doubt that he had, and still could.

I'll share one story that left a great impression on me and to this day helps me deal with tough situations:

One night on call (probably in the middle of the night that is) we were trying to piece together a very unstable fracture (I believe distal tibia but not sure now). We had been at it for a while and we were all tired and some were frustrated. We had gotten everything lined up and had provisional fixation in place and were starting to apply the final plate when someone (probably me) moved something and the entire thing fell apart!!
Given the mood in the room, I thought Dave was going to lose it. He very calmly looked up, chuckled and said, "Well, that didn't work. Gotta try something else." This was the calm under pressure that only comes with knowing that in any situation, he had several tricks up his sleeve, and confidence that he could fix almost anything -- and he could!
On the second attempt, we did try something else, it worked and we got a great result.

The lesson I learned that night was to always be ready to execute a "plan B", remain calm when things don't go well, and that losing one's cool in the OR helps no one -- least of all the patient.

My condolences to the family. RIP Dave.

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Geoffrey Kahler published a comment .

This is a great story and a great lesson. Thank you Mike.

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Fern And Cleve Campbell published a tribute .

We have wonderful memories and experiences with our friend Dave... starting with a Sunday afternoon phone call several months after he and Vicky has arrived in Charlottesville....asking if he could come to our house to "shoot sauerkraut cans"...he wanted to use the photos to demonstrate gunshot wounds for a talk he was giving to the Orthopedic residents...who were we to question the science behind this? We enjoyed the experience with him and many more over the years. Whether it was sledding down our hill, under the pine trees and beyond...or deep sea fishing out of Cape Hatteras, most all of the fun activities involved the outdoors....he was truly an Eagle Scout, with so much knowledge of the natural world. One of those fishing trips we caught over 200 lbs Tuna. No Lie....it just happened, Dave had brought the prepared sushi rice, wasabi and other ingredients to make sushi...and we made sushi in the hotel room.....the bathtub was involved in preparing the tuna. So many more stories could be shared... we treasure our friendship. May Dave rest in peace.

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Geoffrey Kahler published a tribute .

Brother Dave - Fishing Story

In the early 90s I left a promising career in advertising to go to Colorado to fulfill a dream to be a ski bum for a winter season. I extended the stay to spend my summer fly fishing. Dave and my dad thought I was nuts. But on visits to Colorado with his friends, Dave realized that I’d gotten good at skiing and more importantly fly fishing. Today we both love fly fishing and while he’s good at it, I’m better.

The years passed and after a move to Utah I acquired a drift boat with two buddies and got good at rowing rivers as well, seeking native trout wherever we could find them. It was in this boat that I had one of my proudest younger brother moments.

Dave was attending a medical conference in Salt Lake City and said he had a free day before he had to fly home. I suggested we make a dash up to the Green River in northeast Utah with the boat and float some beautiful water packed with Brown trout.

We got up early on a Friday morning and grabbed hot coffee and within a few hours we are ready to push off into the crystal clear, fast moving water. We rigged the rods and I was sitting at the oars and he looked at the swirling water and asked, “you do know what you're doing right?” I smiled and replied, “mostly.” We spent the day casting, talking, laughing and I learned from him why we always see the same side of the moon. I learned about Winston Churchill and about the D-Day invasion. I learned that the 1932 D Washington quarter I found in my change might be worth something like $35 or $40.

The Green River is mostly flat with a dozen or so named rapids that can be a little tricky. Dave was in the front seat so I rowed into a few lines that were bumpier with the bigger waves to see if I could soak him. The proud moment came in the notorious mother-in-law rapid that really looks worse than it is. The river throws you to the left towards a rock wall and there is a big boulder on the right that’s covered with white fiberglass from other boats that try to go right when you have to go left. We went through mother-in-law without a hitch and Dave turned in his seat and looked at me with a huge smile and said, “nice work.” That's it. Two words. And for me the ultimate compliment from him. It’s that simple statement that sticks with me today.

We finished the day taking our time working my favorite section of the river. The fish weren’t rising so Dave tied on a streamer that he'd given me years back. It was little enamel rainbow trout with a green feather tail that never really worked for me. On his second cast he caught the biggest fish of the day. It was perfect. For me the day was complete. And I’m pretty sure it was for him too.

Dave was spectacular. Dave was my brother and I miss him dearly. I will remember him every day. And what I will remember most about him is that he always looked out for me, no matter what. That's the role of a Big Brother.

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Susan Saliba published a comment .

Geoff - Dave gave us a copy of his book a few weeks ago. What a treasure! I read the whole thing in Dave’s voice. He was a great individual who influenced us greatly. Sami has always considered him a mentor. He will be greatly missed.

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Mike Whistler published a comment .

I met Dave in Medical School, and our friendship was forged in the crucible of our 3rd year Internal Medicine rotation. He was a great partner, We were in the Charity ER one time taking care of a young woman with a horrible chest x-ray. Our intern, Mary Abell told us we had to get a sputum on her to find the AFB "red snappers." Sure enough, we got the sputum and found the tuberculosis. Luckily, my PPD is still negative.
One other clear memory is of a party during my Peds residency at Tulane. His wife, Vickie, was my fellow resident and so Dave was at the party. It was all pretty tame until Dave decided we needed to liven it up. "Whistler, it is time to Gator!" We flopped on the floor and rolled around like alligators. Juvenile, but it was the highlight of the party.
Of course, we did not stay in touch over the years, but it was great to see him at our class reunion.
A great loss of a great man. My sincere condolences to his family.

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Arlene Jacobs published a tribute .

I remember Dave very vividly and fondly , and I am sure all in our medical class do so also. 35 years seem to have gone so fast, and like all of my classmates commenting here and more , he will be remembered in many ways. After reading his memoir - I now feel I know so much more about him. He was so bright and articulate and clearly made a mark on many lives. I wish I met this amazing daughter of his, and perhaps one day we all will.... May you rest peacefully Dave, you are gone too soon.

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Stefanie Schultis published a tribute .

I went to medical school with David and have many memories ..we were all just kids really . Sending love prayers for him and his family .Stefanie

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Barbara Gerard published a tribute .

I not only walk but I walk without a limp today because of one man – Dr. David M. Kahler. In the spring of 1997, my family and I were standing on a balcony at the University of Virginia when it collapsed. That was the day Dr. Kahler came into my life. He put me back together – not only physically but mentally as well. I was confused, grief-stricken and afraid. I had never broken a bone and had only been in the hospital for the birth of our two babies. Dr. Kahler was compassionate, confident, and kind but firm. He did not “baby” me but taught me strength through his strength of character. He believed in his abilities to make me “whole” again and – through him – I found the courage to heal. He never questioned the fact that I would walk normally again and I believed him. It would have been easy to feel sorry for myself but that was not the road he was taking me down – he was too good a doctor for that to happen. I have always treasured my time spent with him – he was more than a doctor – he was a cheerleader, teacher, and friend. He will be missed.
Good-bye you wonderful and dear man. The world became a better place when you walked among us. May you rest in peace.

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Geoffrey Kahler published a comment .

This is beautiful. Thank you.
Dave's brother, Geoff.

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Adrian Williamson published a tribute .

I attended medical school with Dave. I think that most of our medical school class would agree that we as a class are all united in a special bond of friendship. We can go for years without any contact but when we finally do get together, we pick up again like we just saw each other yesterday.

Dave and Vicky were two of our closest friends in medical school. My wife Katherine and I are going to miss Dave, but we are grateful that we are still blessed with Vicky and their wonderful daughter Katherine. Like Tom Oshea, I knew almost immediately that Dave was going to be a great friend the minute we met freshman year. I had many great times with Dave and I came to know him as someone who was very smart and very dedicated and who also had a great sense of humor.

I could share countless stories about our time together in New Orleans but I want to share a story that occurred in Virginia. Dave gave Katherine and me great comfort when our son Jonathan broke his kneecap at the start of the school year at Washington and Lee University in Lexington VA, just down the road from Charlottesville. Dave could not have been kinder and more gracious as he treated Jonathan’s injury. It gave Katherine and me peace to know that our friend Dave was there to teat Jonathan, who was so far from home in Virginia. Jonathan did great thanks to Dave’s expert orthopedic care.

I was fortunate to communicate with Dave from time to time over the last year. I knew that he was not well. Dave and I both knew that he might not survive his medical condition. Dave reacted with sadness but also with dignity and grace during his last year. Despite his dire medical condition, Dave made sure to reach out to me to offer his support about my medical issues! In Dave’s words, he left us with “the memories of a lifetime of fantastic experiences and friendships.” And I agree with Dave that he left a trace of himself in his family members and friends. However, I disagree with him that he will be forgotten in about a century. I believe that we all live on because of the way that our lives have affected others around us. Dave’s remarkable life has made this world a better place. And because of that he will live on forever.

We all miss Dave, but those of us lucky enough to have known him are better because of him.

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Michael Basnight published a tribute .

We were three friends and med school comrades. We shared some incredible experiences together. As Dave said the power of the wind is incredible, even when not sailing! The power of our experiences was even greater. In more recent years though separated by careers we have been able to see each other once in a while. Dave's comment about luck are also worth noting, as he taught my wife Tari about craps at Harrahs! Fair winds friend forever. Mike

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Thomas Oshea published a tribute .

I met Dave in medical school in New Orleans and it didn't take long to realize that this guy was going to be a life long friend. Dave was incredibly smart, had a great sense of humor and was an amazing storyteller. Any time with Dave was fun and you usually learned something. He was knowledgeable about literally everything. I can tell you endless stories about Dave and our medical school years but I'll tell you one.
In our senior year Dr. McMahon financed a sailing trip from Athens around a number of Greek islands for 2 weeks. Crazy right! Dr. M is a whole other story. When we got to Athens we had a few nights to explore and have fun. When we got to our boat it had been a few days since we had a shower.The marina had a sketchy, rundown outdoor shower but we had limited options. One of the problems was that it was cold, maybe 50 F. There was also a considerable wind blowing and the showers were brick stalls but with large openings to let the breeze through. Looked pretty bad but we felt that once we got the hot water going we could power through it. Only problem , NO HOT WATER!. In adjacent stalls Dave and I did a laugh , scream combo through our 3 minute ice cold shower in a cold 20 knot wind. It was a memorable start to an epic adventure sailing the Greek islands. Dave is my brother at heart and I love him and I will miss him dearly.

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J. Patel,md published a tribute .

Though I knew him for a very short time near the end of his life, it was evident that Dave derived strength from his family and friends, and had inspired innumerable people in the course of his life. Dave, I hope you find the peace you deserve.

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Dorothy Young published a comment .

I met David in May, until he step out 6:30 am August 9 2020. He was a very extraordinary person he had a great sense of humor he will be well missed goodbye days until we meet again.

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Mukesh Desai published a tribute .

I learned of the death of Dr.David Kahler thru my daughter Dr.Parchayi Desai Dalal who works at UVA Hospital as cancer clinical research coordinator. Dr.Kahler's death was a shocking news for me. I was operated by Dr.Kahler for my multiple ankle fractures in April 2011 on my visit to C'ville in an emergency 5 hours surgery at UVA Hospital.
Dr.Kahler had assured me very positively post my surgery that I would be fully alright & do all my regular activities even though a plate & 7 screws were fixed in my ankle. I am perfectly fine and will never forget his words.
My thoughts & prayers are with you Katherine and the entire Kahler fmly during this difficult times. Please accept my heartfelt condolences.
Mukesh Desai
Bombay,India

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Gregory S Mcdowell Md published a tribute .

Dave was exceptionally friendly, a gifted teacher, very kind to my family and an innovative thinker. He was a strong influence in my orthopedic residency. He was two years my junior. I was always impressed with his abilities and accomplishments, but he was so nice. He gave me the confidence to do minimally invasive pelvic and acetabular ORIF as I grew to understand the rings complex three dimensional anatomy with CTS imaging used concurrently. It is just that type of image guidance that has enabled so many of us to do navigated surgery. A big advance for safety particularly in complex spine. Thank you Dave. God bless your family!

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