Peter Stein

August 3, 1935 – July 1, 2024

Peter Stein was born in Deutsch-Zerne, a German community in Yugoslavia (now Serbia). He was the only child of Johann and Katharina Stein. He had many fond memories of the simple life of his childhood there. Near the end of World War II, Peter was separated from his parents. His father was a soldier and eventually prisoner of war, his mother was sent to a labor camp in Russia, while he was placed in a concentration camp along with thousands of other Germans living in Yugoslavia. After two and a half years, he escaped and made his way to Austria where he was reunited with his mother and father. They lived there in the city of Linz until they immigrated to America.

In 1955 Peter and his parents came to the United States, choosing Cincinnati, Ohio as their new home. After some time he moved to Chicago. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Knox before being honorably discharged after a short time. Peter returned to Cincinnati where he worked for his uncle as a tile setter. It was here that he met a young woman named Barbara Spiess who was also from the same town in Yugoslavia. On June 2, 1962 they were married and began a life together that lasted 62 years.

While on their honeymoon in California, Peter and Barbara visited family friends who were in the egg business. Peter decided that’s what he wanted to do, so when they returned to Cincinnati, they packed up and moved to California along with Peter’s parents. Together the four of them founded Stein & Stein Poultry with the first ranch in Cherry Valley. After a few years, Peter bought land in San Timoteo Canyon where he built a second, larger ranch. It was here that he built his home and raised his children with Barbara by his side every step of the way. They spent 42 years working seven days a week until their retirement in 2004.

Peter was an avid reader and a walking history book. He enjoyed opera and classical music, particularly the works of Mozart, Beethoven and Wagner. But by far his greatest hobby was hunting. It was a passion that began as a boy with his grandfather and took him all over the world, from North America to Mongolia, China, New Zealand and his favorite of all, Africa where he had twenty-two safaris. He enjoyed sitting in his trophy room sharing a drink and memories from all his adventures. In recent years, after retiring from hunting, he enjoyed spending time tending to his grapevines and fruit trees.

Peter will be remembered as a hard-working man full of integrity, a great storyteller with a wonderful sense of humor, and a loyal friend. But most of all, he will be remembers as a husband, father and grandfather (Otta) who was devoted to providing his family with a happy life.

He is survived by his beloved wife Barbara Stein; Children Linda (Lonnie) Heinrich, John (Paula) Stein, Cathy Stein, and Peter (Miriam) Stein; Grandchildren David (Cina) Heinrich, Christa (Danny) Garcia, Sarah (Nate) Alexanian, Frederik Stein, Kathryn Stein, Julia Rome, and Ryan Rome; Great-granddaughter Finnley Wilson. And he is joined in Heaven by his great-grandson Daniel Michael Garcia.

We love you forever…

Funeral Service will be held on Monday, July 22, 2024 at 10:00 am at Weaver Mortuary and Crematory, 1177 Beaumont Avenue, Beaumont, CA 92223.