John Mathew Stammen

He was born on July 13th, 1936 in Minot, North Dakota as the only child of John Theodore Stammen and Susanna Maria (Goebel) Stammen.  He graduated from St Leos High School in Minot in 1954.  In 1960, he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Minot State University.  During his school years, he played basketball and worked in a cabinetry shop building boats where his love of ships took hold.  While working at the local supermarket he met the love of his life, Carole, and a couple years later they were married in 1957 at St Leos Catholic Church. 

In 1962, with three children and one on the way, he moved the family to Lompoc, CA to continue his teaching career at Vandenberg Air Force base. However, as life would have it, while exploring new opportunities, he leveraged his science background and changed careers to work at Beckman Instruments in Fullerton, CA.  Later, he worked at United Controls and then Johnson Controls where he refined his expertise in control systems engineering.  It was around 1985, at the age of 49, when he caught a break with some industry connections to be able to start his own consulting business, Stammen & Associates, where he would go on to provide exceptional process and environmental analytic services for the next couple of decades.   Around 2007, he sold his company to Michael and Jordan a pair of young like-minded engineers/founders at Xenon who continued to build upon his vision.  He gradually transitioned into retirement before fully retiring in 2009 as an honorary member of Xenon to focus on his faith, family and community. 

Of course, as an engineer, he was very detail oriented and found many ways to apply this skill outside his profession including auditing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority finances; overseeing the construction of the new St Pius V church hall; serving on the Orange County Grand Jury; and for fun assembling/solving puzzles of all kinds.  He also enjoyed woodworking projects and was an avid Lakers and Angels fan.

Much of his life was in the service of his faith and church.  As a devoted and active parishioner of St Pius V Catholic Church in Buena Park for 59 years, he gave his time and talents to Eucharistic Ministry; Engaged Couples Counseling;  Religious Education and Faith Formation; Sisters of the Sacred Heart; Knights of Columbus and Altar Boys just to name a few.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Carole, and 6 children, Chris and his wife Janice, Theresa and her husband Jim, Valerie and her husband Steve, Marianne and her husband Jim, Karena, Joe and his wife Val along with 37 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and his daughters Dominique and Marcella.  Family and friends are welcome to attend the viewing and rosary at McAulay and Wallace Mortuary in Fullerton, the Funeral Mass at St Irenaeus Catholic Church in Cypress and the Graveside Service at Good Shepherd Cemetery in Huntington Beach.

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