Robert Stambaugh
February 18, 1934 - January 9, 2021

"Bob Stambaugh was born on February 18, 1934, in Huntington Park, CA. He was the fourth of five children born to Ira and Violet Stambaugh. Violet?s family had first arrived in California around the turn of the century, although Ira and Violet met and married in Saco, MT. By the time Bobby was born his older siblings Vernon, Barbara and Paul were ages 10 to 15. Because of the difference in age he would eventually be almost an older brother to his nieces and nephews. The youngest brother Richard was born in 1935, and these two had a close bond from the beginning. The family moved to Whittier, CA when Bob was in high school, and he graduated from Whittier High School. He lived in Whittier for the next 70 years, and for the remainder of his life it was an important part of his identity. The family lived on Summit Drive, and attended the First United Methodist Church. Bob attended Pomona College, but eventually transferred to USC, where he earned an engineering degree. USC, too, made a deep mark. He continued to follow the school?s achievements, both academic and athletic. He was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. In 1956 Bob was home in Whittier and attended a young adult event at the Methodist church. There he met a young woman newly arrived from Dallas, Nancy Nicholson. She was attending Whittier College. Nancy said that she decided immediately that this was the man she was going to marry! They were married on August 24, 1958. They bought a little house on Western Avenue, and in 1962 Robin was born, followed by David in 1964 and Michael in 1969. Bob?s first job out of college was with a refrigeration company named Recold. Not long after he made a career change and entered the insurance business, joining a company called ISI. This led ultimately to joining Dean Witter. Working mostly out of the Whittier branch office, Bob spent 28 years with the firm, deepening his community roots as he helped local clients and businesses with financial decisions. After retirement in 1996 he took up a number of community projects, including building houses with Habitat For Humanity, serving on the Board of the YMCA and work with Plymouth Church and more recently Redemption Hill Church. He spent many hours expanding on the family genealogies started by his grandmother and Nancy?s father. His most recent hobby has been building wooden bluebird houses for the Southern California Bluebird Club. In addition, Bob and Nancy traveled a great deal. They visited six out of seven continents, exploring by ship, safari, car, bus, foot and RV. Luckily their children didn?t get around to grandchildren right away, because once they started to arrive Nancy began to balk at being gone all the time! Bob?s parents had experienced many wonderful trips in their retirement years and he loved being able to do the same. Bob and Nancy?s first grandchild, Grant, was born in 2001 to Dave and Judy. Their son Blake was born in 2002, followed by Justina Brandt, daughter of Robin and Tracy, also in 2002. Mike and Angelica?s kids, Nick and James, were born in 2013 and 2015. All live in Southern California, so the family has gathered regularly for birthdays, Thanksgiving at Sky Forest, Fourth of July in the Lindante backyard and Christmas. Bob and Nancy also made a point of attending their grandchildren?s special sporting and artistic events, as well as graduations and other school ceremonies. They fostered a wonderful, close family bond that connects us all deeply. Bob and Nancy moved to Morningside of Fullerton in 2019, the first time they had lived together outside of Whittier. Bob is survived by Nancy, children Robin and Tracy Brandt (Justina), Dave and Judy Stambaugh (Grant, Blake) and Mike and Angelica Stambaugh (Nicholas, James) "