Lena Madge Stubbs

Lena Madge Stubbs of Visalia passed away surrounded by her four children on Sunday, February 5. Born Lena Madge Hamar in Harveyville, Kansas in 1926, her parents moved to California in 1936 and began farming in the Imperial Valley and then moved to the Ivanhoe area. Lena graduated from Visalia Union High School in 1943, worked briefly for Pacific Bell and the Gas Company before being hired by Tulare County where she was a valued employee for 30 years. Following her retirement Lena worked as secretary for the Tulare County Retired Employees Association for fifteen years. In 1964 she married Ian Stubbs. Together they raised a blended family of six children. Ian died in 1977.

She is survived by her four children: James Reilly and his wife Gayle of San Juan Capistrano CA; Janet Brogan and her husband Michael of Paris, Maine; Karen Abercrombie and her husband Thomas of Martinez, CA; and Margaret Meling and her husband Eric of Visalia, CA. She was the proud and doting grandmother of eight grandchildren: Summer and Robin Reilly, Kevin and Kelley Brogan, Scott and Megan Abercrombie, and Erin and Brooke Meling. Other survivors include her sister Eloise Jackson of Sanger, CA, and two step children Don Stubbs of Bakersfield, CA and Ellen Stubbs of Cambria, CA.

Lena will be remembered by friends and family as a smiling and giving woman who loved to travel, cook and entertain her friends and family. She taught her children to be avid readers and passed her considerable work ethic to them and to her grandchildren. But it was her sense of humor, fun and play that will be missed the most by those who knew and loved her. She spent her final years in residence at Casa Grande Senior Care in Visalia and is remembered as always being cheerful and friendly to both staff and residents.

She lived her life with grace, humor, courage and dignity for 86 years and leaves behind a family who cherishes her memory.

A Graveside Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 9, 2012 at the Visalia Cemetery, 1300 W. Goshen Ave.

Arrangements under the direction of Miller Memorial Chapel, Visalia, CA.