Donald J. Sass was born on July 12, 1934 in Baltimore, Maryland at the height of the Great Depression. Jobs were scarce and his parents encouraged him to develop his innate musical abilities by studying an instrument so that he would always have a job with a big brass band.

Music came naturally and was a hobby throughout his life but ultimately, Donald pursued engineering and medicine. He started at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and felt that his years at Poly were foundational - instilling lifelong values and discipline.  He went on to receive a BS, followed by a Master's degree in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University. His graduate work at Hopkins included work with a pioneering team of physicians and electrical engineers who laid the foundation for today's cardiac defibrillators. His master's thesis was on the vulnerability of the heart to electrical shocks applied at precisely timed parts of the cardiac electric cycle. 

Donald later enrolled in Stanford University with the goal of obtaining a PhD in biomedical engineering. He diverted from this path when one of his mentors encouraged him to pursue medical school at Stanford instead. Following medical school, he completed his internship at Bethesda Naval Hospital and served as a naval officer and physician for the next twenty years. The Navy sent him to the Mayo Graduate School in Rochester for a research fellowship in cardiovascular physiology and aviation medicine in the early 70's. He served his fellowship under Earl Wood, MD who had designed and built the first human centrifuge at Mayo. Donald was awarded the Eric Liljencrantz award for his research by the Aerospace Medical Association in 1974. 

When his research fellowship at Mayo ended, he was appointed head of the biophysics division at the Naval Medical Research Institute. After a tour of research related to undersea medicine, he completed a fellowship in cardiac anesthesiology at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard University. He was inspired by academic environments that were "steeped in tradition" like Mass General - the birthplace of modern anesthesia.

Donald was promoted to Captain in the Navy and was transferred to Oakland Naval Hospital where he served as Chief of Anesthesiology until he retired from the Navy in 1984. Following his retirement from the Navy, he served as Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, CA until 1997.

Donald had a brilliant mind but even more striking was his dogged determination in pursuit of his goals. "Press on" was a phrase his family heard frequently. He embodied the values of integrity, honor, courage and hard work. He possessed a quick and sometimes startling dry wit. When first diagnosed with AML, he sought out the world's leading experts in this relatively rare specialty and he found them at MD Anderson in Houston. His deep knowledge of medicine and science helped guide his decisions through the course of his disease; he was able to discuss treatment options and clinical trials with his clinical team - his mind sharp until the end. As he underwent treatment, he was encouraged by his oldest grandson Matthew, an analyst in emerging pharmaceuticals in NYC. Matthew, as an analyst, follows the very drugs that were used in the clinical trials Donald was enrolled in at MDA - trials that provided hope in the face of a devastating disease. Life came full circle at this point, as it was his grandfather who first encouraged Matthew's interest in the stock market when he was a young boy.

Donald's hobbies were many - he loved Wagnerian Opera, beautiful design and architecture, photography, craft beer, model airplanes and classic cars. Over the years, he restored numerous vintage Jaguars, Porches and MG's, entered them in competitions and won ribbons and trophies that he displayed in his large mechanic's dream garage. He loved to "talk cars." He also loved the wide open spaces in Colorado where he and his wife Eleanor maintained a ranch in retirement. 

Donald passed away at home on December 19, 2018 with his family by his side. In addition to his loving wife of forty years, Eleanor, Donald is survived by his three children - David, Christin (husband Scott) and Elizabeth, four grandchildren - Matthew, Lindsay, Daniel and Andrew, sisters Bette and Signe, their families and many friends. In lieu of flowers - and in gratitude for the countless generous blood donations he received over the past three years - the family requests that those who are able donate blood in his memory. Godspeed Donald. Fair winds and following seas.