A Celebration of Nick’s Life was held on Sunday Sept 6, 2013 at Redwood City Women’s Club, 149 Clinton St., from 1-4PM. In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations to any local school music program.
Nicholas “Nick” Stumbaugh
March 6, 1944 – Sept. 20, 2013
Beloved father, husband, brother, and friend, Nick died six months short of his 70th birthday of complications following a car accident. He was an enormously kind soul, and his passing has left a huge vacuum in the lives of all who were fortunate enough to have known him.
His brothers will miss his stoic example, sense of humor, his advice, and his big bear hugs. Although they live busy lives in Sequim, Washington, with their wives and children, his brothers were excited about his yearly visits to see them and planned fun events for everyone.
His colleagues will miss his experience, knowledge and wisdom in his chosen field of Criminalistics. Even though he had retired years ago, Nick kept working part time as a Criminalist in the Forensics Laboratory in the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.
His musician friends will miss him in the clarinet and saxophone sections of many bands and orchestras in San Diego, the Peninsula and in Grass Valley. His one true passion throughout his life was music. Next to his family, he loved nothing more than music – making it, watching it, and listening to it.
His wife of 44 years, Bobbie, and his son Kurt will miss everything about him. He was a big man with a larger-than-life presence, whose encyclopedic intellect was paired with an impressive humility and generous heart. Like a rudder steers a boat, Nick charted a never wavering moral compass for us all.
In addition to his wife and son, Nick leaves behind his three younger Stumbaugh brothers and their wives – Dick & Cyndie, Tom & Linda, Paul & Bridget – nieces Darcy Stumbaugh and her daughter Josephine, Lacey Sutton her husband Eric and son Bruce, Megan Van Dusen, Mandy Hergert and her husband Kevin, god-daughter Tracy Haley and god-granddaughter Emily. He is preceded in death by his beloved daughter Amber Nicole Stumbaugh and by his mother and father, Lysette and Lyle Stumbaugh. Nick was born in Clinton, Iowa, grew up and went to school in San Diego where he earned a Master’s Degree in Chemistry, and then moved to San Carlos where he lived most of his life.