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Long-time Maui resident, Russell Thomas Stodd, MD, passed away peacefully at his home in Crystal Lake, IL on Aug. 10, 2024, with his wife and daughters at bedside.
Stodd was born Nov. 7, 1930, in Portland, OR to John Thomas Stodd and Anna Christina Stodd, née Broms. He graduated from Portland's Jefferson High and then served in the Marine Corp. Russell married Leanna Miller, also of Portland, in 1951. Graduated from University of Oregon and its Medical School, he then interned at Los Angeles County Hospital, and completed residency at Gorgas Hospital, Panama Canal Zone.
Russell began practicing ophthalmology in Portland, creating East Portland Eye Clinic in partnership. In 1973, following medical school friends William and Gertrude Hoskinson, Stodds moved to Maui where Drs. Hoskinson and Stodd practiced together. Russell and Leanna went on to build the Aloha Eye Clinic and the Aloha Surgical Center. Obtaining private pilot licensure, Stodd regularly flew to Hana, delivering eye care in Hana in connection with Dr. Milton Howell.
Dedicated to profession and community, Stodd was elected President of the Oregon Academy of Ophthalmology & Otolaryngology in 1972. During this time, Stodd served as medic on two expeditions to Mexico: one to Yucatán Peninsula where he also assisted in re-discovery of a Mayan temple and one to Río Mezquital-Río San Pedro Canyon.
On Maui, he served as Maui Memorial Hospital's Chief of Staff and as President of Maui's American Cancer Society. An avid runner, he was a member of Valley Isle Road Runners and started Seabury Hall's Cross Country team in the late 1970's. He performed volunteer eye surgery in Sudan and Brazil. He served as President of the Hawaii Medical Association and as its delegate to the AMA. In 2013, he received the HMA's Lifetime Achievement Award. From 2000-2012, Stodd was board member of MIEC, physician-owned insuring body for many HI doctors. For decades, Stodd contributed a column, "The Weathervane," to the Hawai'i Ophthalmological Society's Journal.
Committed to the Christian church, Stodds were members of Portland's Patton Central and Parkrose United Methodist. On Maui they were active with Makawao Union and Keawala'i Congregational. It was Stodd's joy to sing in church choir, with the Maui Madrigals, and in the shower.
Reveling in life, Russell could often be seen zipping to church in his yellow sports car, singing cheerfully through the units of Maui Memorial or hallways of the AEC or running strong on Kahului sidewalks. He might encourage all now with his standard Weathervane sign off: "Aloha and keep the faith!"
Stodd is preceded in death by his parents and siblings Eleanor Stodd Clark, John Stodd, Robert Stodd, Rodney Stodd and Kenneth Stodd. He is survived by wife, Leanna, daughters Deborah (William) Guild, Jennifer (Allen) Hodges, and Amanda (Raymond) Ploski, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
No memorial service is planned at this time. Those who would like to donate in memory may wish to consider: Llamba Association (https://www.llamba.org/donate/), the American Foundation for the Blind (https://www.afb.org/) or SEE International (https://www.seeintl.org/)