Lori Stahl, a former Dallas journalist, teacher, communicator, proud mother and loyal friend, died recently after struggles with multiple illnesses. She was 67.

Lori grew up in Dallas and graduated in 1977 from Skyline High School, the first magnet high school in Dallas which was designed to combat traditional segregation in schools—something Lori was proud to be part of. She continued to fight injustice throughout her life.

Lori went to Pitzer College in California and then east to work for California Sen. Alan Cranston in his Washington office. She then decided she could better serve the public by reporting news rather than making it, and got a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University.

With that, she landed a job at The Dallas Morning News, working on the city desk for many years covering City Hall, the Dallas Police Department, Texas politics and higher education. She wrote many “High Profile” features and tirelessly reported on important issues, including sexual harassment long before the “Me Too” movement. She had an on-camera ease and an ability to succinctly explain complex politics that led to appearances on CNBC, the Today Show and other national news networks. She also recorded an extensive oral history about Dallas at the University of North Texas.

Lori went on to teach reporting and writing at Southern Methodist University and then at the Mayborn Center at UT Arlington. She also served on the arts commission in Dallas.

In 1997, she traveled alone to Vologda, Russia, to adopt her daughter Sara, and wrote about her journey to motherhood a year later with a widely read piece, “Sara’s Story.” Lori’s eyes always lit up when she talked about Sara as she excelled as an artist, a youth leader at Temple Emanu-El, and a public health researcher.

She was also a devoted mother to Golden Retrievers Murphy and Buddy.

She is survived by her daughter Sara; her sister Cathy (Gary) Golden, and two nephews, Will (Aleks) and Charlie. She was preceded in death by her parents, Judith Davis and Sidney Stahl.

A private gathering will be held in Dallas in the near future. The family would like to direct any donations honoring Lori to the Grant Halliburton Foundation (granthalliburton.org), which offers education programs on mental wellness and suicide prevention, or the Karen Blumenthal Internship Fund, which sponsors one DMN intern each summer. (dmn.com/intern-fund). Lori established and both worked at The News.

https://obits.dallasnews.com/us/obituaries/dallasmorningnews/name/lori-stahl-obituary?id=61509660