Hon. Madonna Stahl

The Honorable Madonna Stahl, age 86, a former Albany (NY) City Court Judge for 12 years (1984-1996), died peacefully in her sleep on December 17, 2014 at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, NY following numerous complications from Multiple Sclerosis. Judge Stahl was born September 26, 1928 in the rural township of Oblong on the farm plains of southern Illinois. She was predeceased by her parents, the late Lawrence Joy Stahl and Inez Lucille Kennedy. Following graduation with a B.S. Degree from the University of Illinois in 1950 she married fellow student Sorab K. Ghandhi of Allahabad, India. That union produced three sons who survive her - Khushro and Behram Ghandhi of Los Angeles, CA, and Rustom Ghandhi (Patricia) of Edgewood, MD. She is survived by two sisters, Marilyn Idelle Watts (Ray) of Robinson, IL and Sharon Louise Kirk (Rick) of Oblong, IL and Destin, FL. She is also survived by grandsons, Sorab Ghandhi Jr. of Los Angeles and Jamshed Ghandhi of Darlington, MD; as well as nieces and nephews, Sheila Rae Watts of Schenectady, NY and Keith Dee Watts of Dalesville, IN; along with Troy Hart (Carla) and Jody Hart Waldrop, both of Robinson. Deena Crossmore of Ithaca provided special comfort to Madonna and her family especially during her final illness. Judge Stahl is also survived by her second husband, Don T. Birkmayer of Ithaca (formerly of Troy, NY) who she married in 1987 in Albany, NY; her step-children, by this marriage are Carolyn Cox-Hughes of Cohoes, NY, Nancy Kane of Wynantskill, NY and Richard A. Birkmayer Sr. Judge Stahl was a remarkable, talented and multifaceted woman whose life and profession as an Officer of the Court touched thousands of people. Following divorce from her first husband she earned her J.D. at Albany (NY) Law School graduating in 1973 at the age of 45. She first was an Attorney at the Legal Aid Society in Albany where she made substantial contributions to the local community, particularly on behalf of low-income women. She was active in a Cornell Cooperative Extension program for low-income homemakers. Other pioneering achievements in the legal profession in the Capital District included her joining in the mid-70s with attorney Margarethe Powers to establish the first all-female law partnership in the Albany area - a venture which many thought was doomed to failure. But it prospered and opened new avenues for women in the practice of law. She then went on to become the first woman Judge in Albany City Court, where she served with distinction for 12 years. Many of her Court decisions were published and established precedents in varying civil fields. In 1978 she was honored by being qualified and admitted as an attorney to present cases before the United States Supreme Court. In 1976, Judge Stahl was a co-founder of the Capital District Women's Bar Association and was a past-president of the CDWBA. Madonna was first diagnosed with MS over 40 years ago when very little was known about the disease. Despite increasing physical impediments over the ensuing years she continued to enjoy active participation in such activities as cross country skiing, Vermont bicycle tours, world travels and ballroom dancing including competitions and demonstrations in Newport, RI and at resorts in the Catskills. She and her husband Don were active members of the Capital District Dance Cotillion. Shortly after her retirement from the bench she, along with Don moved to Ithaca, NY to become residents of one of New York State's early Continuing Care Retirement Communities known as Kendal at Ithaca where she was proactive in concerns that she felt best served resident's interests. In the early years of Kendal she was cofounder of the One Kendal Group designed to foster communications and help between residents living independently and those in the Kendal Health Center. It was immediately successful and today consists of many sub committees catering to a wide variety of needs and services. Also, at the urging of former Ithaca City Court Judge Marjorie Olds, Judge Stahl organized a group of Kendal residents to volunteer at the Maccormick Secure facility in Brooktondale, NY where they taught gardening to the incarcerated young men, most of them from major metropolitan cities. There will be no funeral or calling hours. A celebration of her life is planned at Kendal after the holiday season. Her remains will be placed in her family's plot in Prairie Cemetery in Oblong, IL at the convenience of the family. Those desiring to make donations are invited to consider the Multiple Sclerosis Resources of Central NY at Box 237, East Syracuse, NY 13057 or by checks made out to Kendal at Ithaca, 2230 North Triphammer Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 with "Rainy Day Fund in memory of Judge Stahl" on the memo line or to a charity of one's choosing. Bangs Funeral Home will be assisting the family.