This website is dedicated to my grandfather, Walter F. Stillger, MD, (who delivered over 3000 babies on Long Island) who died right after delivering a baby at home… and to my father, Walter M. Stillger, MD who did the same numbers – delivering over 3000+ babies on Long Island.
The following story about my grandfather was written to me by my aunt, Isabelle Stillger Martineau, on January 4, 1999.
Dear Sybille,
Now, in brief, if I can, the tale of your grandfather’s death…
He [my grandfather, Walter Francis Stillger] died on Nov. 10th, 1951– at the age of 60! Walter, your dad, was called out for a home delivery to the home of E.H.O.–who insisted on being delivered at home – no hospital for her, even though most of the deliveries then were done at the various hospitals. As well as I can recall, the labor was progressing rather slowly and your dad was scheduled to do some tonsillectomies at Nassau Hospital, so he called Grandpa to come to the home and take over. The child was born at about 11AM – the father of the child poured a small glass of wine to celebrate the birth. Shortly after, Granpa complained of a severe headache and asked to lie down on their couch. G. O. asked Granpa “shall we call for your son?” Granpa said, “No, I’ll be OK.” But shortly after the father realized that Granpa was not responding. They contacted your dad who came with an ambulance. They had contacted Grandmère (who was waiting to serve Granpa’s dinner – dinner always at noon) and she asked them to come by to pick her up to go to the hospital in the ambulance. Granpa died in the ambulance just outside the garage door – so he was carried into the house – he died about 2 PM.
They called me in Detroit – my mother-in-law came from Chicago to stay with Jeanne and Paul so Maurice and I could go to the funeral. We left on the 11th (I was pregnant – due the 24th), funeral on the 13th, I went into labor on the 14th, and Walter – who your dad delivered, was born at Nassau hospital at 9AM. Unusual for a doctor to deliver his nephew. It sounds like a soap opera – but, life is a soap opera.
Granpa died of a massive cerebral hemorrhage – had he lived, Walter [my dad] said he would have been a vegetable. He had been doing fewer “confinement cases” as he called it in those days – your dad doing the O.B. work – and he loved it and the patients loved him.”
– Isabelle Stillger Martineau, January 4, 1999
and last but not least!… to my husband Rob, who always made it possible for me to pursue my dreams, supported me through my studies in midwifery, never complained, was always there for me and our kids, and always remained positive! … and to my kids – who always put up with my leaving them for a birth, to go for weeks or months at a time to El Paso for my education, and never complained about dinner conversations regarding birth and midwifery!