Peter H. Stadler

Born in Berlin, Germany, to Dr. Konrad and Dr. Emily Stadler, Peter spent his early youth in Germany and Switzerland. In 1951 he moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, graduating from Mount Hermon High School and then MIT in 1959 with a degree in physics. Returning to Switzerland to study further, he received his Masters in Physics from the University of Zurich in 1963 and a Masters of Business Administration from California State University, Long Beach in 1974.

During a visit to a school boy friend in Holzminden, Germany, he became reacquainted with his beloved Heike. They married shortly thereafter in 1963. Together they moved to the United States, and after a few weeks of basic training were stationed in Huntsville, Alabama, home of the Werner von Braun Missile School. Two loving and devoted sons, Douglas and Gregory were born at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. The family moved to Costa Mesa, California, in 1968. Always a rocket scientist, Peter’s contributions were valued by private industry at Philco Aeroneutronics and by the US Government where he retired in 1992 as Deputy Flight Commander of FleetSatCom, a Navy satellite program.

A quick study, Peter turned his intellect to many hobbies and explored numerous self-taught interests: commodity markets, beekeeping, vegetable gardens, electronics, foreign languages and computers, to name a few. Also a natural educator, he introduced his family to the pleasures of the outdoors through sailing, fishing and rafting, yet his second love and true gift was skiing. He raced in Switzerland and for MIT; and in the last 20 years spent each winter elegantly cruising the slopes in Park City, Utah.

Peter was preceded in death by his father, Konrad, and his mother, Emily. He is survived by his wife Heike, son Douglas, son Gregory, his daughter in-law Antonia, 3 beautiful grandchildren, Ella, Maia, Jakob, and his brother Klaus.

A memorial service will be held on December 28, 2010 at Chapel of the Pines, 2855 Cold Springs Road, Placerville, California, at 2:00 pm. Remembrances in his name may be made to Snowline Hospice.