Paul Curtis Stebbins, formally of White Salmon, had lived exactly 84 and a half years when he died in his sleep on Dec. 29, 2003.
He lived a remarkably long life considering he was diagnosed a type I diabetic at the age of 11. Once on insulin, he was required to take three shots per day, every day, for the rest of his life. He did this, took good care of himself and was possibly the oldest living juvenile diabetic at the time of his death.
He was born on June 29, 1919, in Lacey to Agnes P. (Franz) and Paul Roland Stebbins. He graduated from Olympia High School in 1937 and attended St. Martin's College for two years before going to work for the National Bank of Commerce in Olympia. It was at the bank that he met and later married Eloise (Irish). They loved each other unfailingly through almost 61 years of marriage and together they had six children.
Mr. Stebbins enjoyed building his own home in Lacey and cultivating large vegetable and flower gardens. He spent hours in his wood shop and built grandfather clocks for each of his children. He played tennis in college and met friends for frequent matches in White Salmon. When he retired, he spent many hours working on his rose bushes and walked almost daily around "the Loop."
He worked for over 40 years for the same enployer as a banker for the old National Bank of Commerce (Sterling Bank). More important to him though was his life long participation and involvement with the Catholic Church, first with Sacred Heart Church in Lacey and later with St. Joseph's Church in White Salmon. He was the organist at both parishes for many years. He was a member of the Holy Name Society and was the treasurer of St Vincent de Paul in White Salmon. He had people coming to his door day and night for assistance for many years. He was an exemplary husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and respected member of the community.
Surviving Mr. Stebbins are his wife, Eloise, West Linn, Ore., daughters Linda Farrell, Mill A, Karen King, West Linn, Ore., Teresa Mayr, Aberdeen, and son, Curtis Stebbins, Jr., Tacoma; a sister, Dolores Bloch, Tacoma; eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughters Rebecca in 1964 and Punky in 1970.
A funeral mass was said on Friday, Jan. 2, 2003 at the Church of the Resurrection in Tualatin, Ore. A graveside service was held on Monday, Jan. 5, at the White Salmon Cemetery followed by a gathering at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
Commented