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FRANKLIN DAVID CHRISTIAN SHULER, M.D., PhD., C.I.M.E. lost his four year battle with HLH, a rare autoimmune disease on January 5, 2021 at Cabell Hospital, Huntington, WV. He was born January 14, 1967 in Steubenville, OH.
He was a 1985 graduate of Weir High School, Weirton, WV where he made many lifetime friends who stood by him and with him, wearing their "Fight for Frank" t-shirts in support of him all around the world.
He was a 1989 PreMed/Biology graduate of Bethany College in Bethany, WV.
Frank was the first student to graduate from WVU, Morgantown, WV with a MD/PhD with honors in 1996. He did his residency at UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA in Orthopaedic Trauma surgery.
He had lived in Tucson, AZ. Worked at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, TN; Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, WV; UPMC in Pittsburgh, PA. He found his true calling at Marshall University and Marshall Health Cabell Hospital, Huntington, WV.
He was an educator, researcher, and Orthopaedic Trauma surgeon where he authored many papers and articles for medical journals. He taught at Miller's Colorado Orthopaedic Review in Denver, CO and was granted several patents for his designs and innovations.
Included in his many accomplishments were "NASA" Space Life Service Training Center in Kennedy Space Center in Florida with an experiment that flew aboard the space shuttle. He was Professor of Orthopaedic Traumatology, Associate Editor of WV Medical Journal and Marshall Journal of Medicine; Director of Orthopaedic Research and Director of Molecular Orthopaedic Laboratory at WVU; Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Trauma at Vanderbilt University; Honorary appointment as Professor/Adjunct with the School of Pharmacy at Jilin University China; active Fellow at Cabell Huntington Hospital. Among his numerous interests were golf, tennis, and various sports. He had a great impact on many lives as an outstanding physician, educator, mentor, and friend. His laugh was contagious and he had an outstanding optimistic spirit. Recognized as West Virginia "Castle Connolly Top Doctor". He was also recognized by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin as a "Distinguished Mountaineer" for his work in medicine in rural West Virginia.
He truly loved living in West Virginia. The most important thing to him was to be a good father to his children. He is survived by his daughter, Madison Joy Shuler (15) and his son David John "DJ" Shuler (13) of Barboursville, WV; sister, Melissa Renee Shuler, RN; father, David Lloyd Shuler and his mother, Shirley Shirer Shuler, all of Weirton, WV.
He was preceded in death by his loving grandparents, Frank and Cora Thomas Shirer; great grandmother, Thais Larkin O'Donnell.
Private services and a celebration of life will be held at a later date, due to COVID-19.
He will be greatly missed by family and friends. Be not sad that he died, but glad that he had lived and was such an inspiring part of all of our lives.
The family offers special thanks to STEEL & WOLFE FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, INC., Weirton, WV for their handling of Frank's cremation. www.steelandwolfe.com.