Dr. Jeffrey Allan Stead, 77, of Shepherdstown, passed away at Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, Va. on May 8, 2024.
Born Feb. 13, 1947, in Allentown, Pa., he was the son of the late Allan Stead and Ruth Judy (Matthews) Stead.
As a young man, Dr. Stead was stationed in Panama as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. While serving there, he was recruited to do field research in geology for the Smithsonian Institution on Malpelo Island off Colombia.
It was after his military service that Dr. Stead graduated from Penn State University with a bachelor’s in geology. However, a career in medicine strongly called, and he earned his medical degree from The Hahnemann School of Medicine in Philadelphia. Dr. Stead began his residency at the Medical College of Georgia and then returned to Hahnemann to complete it.
For 25 years, Dr. Stead worked as a pathologist at Mon General Hospital and later at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown. He was also a professor at the WVU School of Medicine, where he enjoyed sharing his broad general experience, and specifically, his deep knowledge of osteopathic pathology with medical students and residents. Dr. Stead took a keen interest in recruiting medical students into the field of pathology. In 2006, he became Head of Pathology in the Eastern Panhandle of WV and relocated to Shepherdstown two years later.
Dr. Stead was an avid bridge player, a lover of fine wine and an amateur geologist. In retirement, his renewed passion for bridge had him travel the eastern U.S. for tournaments and earn the title of Life Master.
Dr. Stead is survived by his husband, Edward ‘Ted’ Walton, of Shepherdstown. Although only married since 2015, they shared their lives for over 50 years. Also surviving Dr. Stead are three sisters, Pamela Jones, of Macungie, Pa., Susan Stead, of Clearwater, Fla., and Ann Sterner, of Safety Harbor, Fla.
A Celebration of Life service will be held in Shepherdstown’s Trinity Church at a later date.
Arrangements are by the Melvin T. Strider Colonial Funeral Home, Ranson, W.Va.
Condolences:
www.mtstrider.com
