Stewart Erving Dadmun

Stewart E. Dadmun, MD passed peacefully following a brief illness on October 28, 2015 at Mercy Hospital, where he spent decades healing others, surrounded by his family and mementos from people who loved him. Born in Oakland to Erving and Elizabeth McKee Dadmun, Stew grew up riding horses and working in the orchards of what is now known as Silicon Valley. Although disappointed when he grew too tall to become a jockey, Stew graduated from Los Gatos High School and won an academic scholarship to Stanford University. He completed his undergraduate and medical education in seven years at Stanford, working his way through school as a ditch digger, ambulance and hearse driver, and lab technician.

Stew challenged himself by requesting Cook County Hospital in Chicago for his internship, residency and fellowship; while caring for a patient in an iron lung there he met and fell in love with a beautiful nurse named Konnie Karr. They married in 1963, quickly started their family. Stew served two years of active duty at Oakland Naval Hospital. They moved to San Diego in 1965.

A Naval Reserve doctor who retired as a Captain, Stew worked for two years in solo practice and then joined Internal Medicine Associates. Stew held leadership roles in the San Diego County Medical Association, the California Society of Internal Medicine and the American College of Physicians. Stew served on the Board St. Paul’s Senior Services and was instrumental in starting the John McColl Family Health Care Center, where he served as the first medical director.

Stew actively practiced medicine until 1998, when he retired to spend time with Konnie and to pursue his many passions. Stew described his hobbies as including Bible study, gardening and hiking. Stew rigorously maintained his health, taking daily four-mile walks through Mission Hills. He was a passionate outdoors man who enjoyed backpacking with his family in the Sierras until he was in his late 70s. He led an annual backpacking trip up Mt. San Jacinto with his sons and grandchildren until last summer. He inspired countless Episcopal youth to enjoy and experience nature on yearly youth group camping trips. He and Konnie traveled widely, and their trip to the Holy Land last June fulfilled a lifelong dream.

Stew was an intellectually curious man with a prodigious intellect. Stew held leadership positions in religious and scholarly groups, and for forty five years he led a weekly Bible Study at St. Paul’s Cathedral, where he was a devoted member who served as a lector, chalice bearer, and member of search committees that brought priests and Deans to the Cathedral.

Stew’s true passion was his family, and he loved nothing more than dinner with his wife and children, listening to them discuss their latest exploits, cheering them on in all their endeavors and talking with them about the wide range of subjects that encompassed his interests. Stew was always ready with kind and encouraging words for his wife, children and grandchildren, who willingly shared him with the large community of friends who also appreciated his intellectual gifts as well as his kind heart and generous spirit.

Stew is survived by his wife Konnie; his daughter Sally (Denny) of Portland, OR and sons Stewart (Laura) and Dan (Cindy) of San Diego; his grandchildren Jacob, Benji, Malcolm, and Rowan of San Diego; his step grandchildren Christopher, Aaron and Andrew; his step great-grandchildren Lucas, Nolan, Genevieve, Georgia and Olivia of Portland; and his brother-in-law John Baird, MD of Columbia, MO.

A Memorial Service and Celebration of Stew’s life will be held on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at 10 am at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, 2728 Sixth Avenue, San Diego, CA. Memorial Donations may be made to St. Paul’s Cathedral-Special Dadmun Fund, 2728 Sixth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103; or to the Children’s Education Department at the San Diego Zoo, P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112; or to The Scripps Cancer Center at Scripps Mercy Hospital c/o of Scripps Mercy Hospital Foundation 4077 Fifth Ave., MER 42 San Diego, CA 92103