Phillip O Dahl, MD

Phillip Owen Dahl, MD, 89, passed away Saturday, January 9, 2016. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am Friday, January 15, at Lutheran Church of the Cross, 1004 E Highland Acres Rd, Bismarck, with Rev. Robert Lynne officiating. Burial will be held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Cremation has taken place. Phillip was born in Jessie, N.D., to Clarence (C.P.), the former North Dakota Lieutenant Governor and Ovidia Dahl. Phillip was schooled in Jessie, but completed his high school education in Cooperstown, N.D., where he graduated valedictorian of the class of 1943. During his first semester at the Univ. of North Dakota, he was called to active duty in the Naval Air Corp. He returned to UND to complete his B.A. degree and received Pi Beta Kappa honors. It was here that he met and married Vivian L. Stenerodden. Phillip was accepted to the UND School of Medicine. He spent the first two years there and finished his MD degree at Northwestern University, Chicago, with AOA honors in 1951. He did his internship at Denver General Hospital. In 1952 they moved to Bismarck, N.D., where he was one of the founders of Missouri Valley Clinic, which eventually became Mid Dakota Clinic. He was board certified in Internal Medicine and Family Practice. He retired in 1988. Phillip served his community in many ways throughout his life. He felt his most satisfying and lasting contributions were his activities dealing with youth, such as the Boy Scout program, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the YMCA, where he served on the Board of Trustees. His service to the state of North Dakota included President of the Board of Directors of N.D. Blue Cross Blue Shield, Chairman of the State Board of Medical Examiners, and President of the N.D. Medical Association. He was instrumental in the development of the four year degree program at the UND School of Medicine and was asked to give the commencement address to the last two year class. Phillip was also very active in state Republican politics. His hobbies reflected his enjoyment of the N.D. outdoors; hunting, golfing, skiing, and camping. He was also an avid reader and played bridge. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Vivian; three children, Charles P. MD, (Karen), Bismarck, Robert K. MD, (Jan) Sioux Falls, SD, and Cynthia L. Dahl-Neitzke, (Greg), Eden Prairie, MN; five grandchildren, Michael (Genia), Eden Prairie, Brian (Sarah), Bismarck, Shannon, Denver, Christopher, California, and Andrew, Sioux Falls; three great-grandchildren, Freya, Greta, and Graham Dahl; and his sister-in-law Kathy Dahl, Bismarck. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Marjorie; and his brother, Robert. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Lutheran Church of The Cross or the charity of your choice.