William Richard Stotler

William Richard (Dick) Stotler March 9, 1931 - December 19, 2011 William Richard (Dick) Stotler passed away peacefully with his loving wife,Pat, his children, and grandchildren all encircled at his bedside on Monday evening, 19 December 2011. The space this final tribute allows is inadequate to chronicle a life as extraordinary and exemplary as that of Dick Stotler. Yet, to describe the legacy he leaves comes quickly and without reservation for the many roles this husband, this father, this grandfather, this great grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend led throughout his entire life. Dick Stotler was born on 9 March 1931 in Bakersfield, California to Aubrey Richard Stotler and Helen Cox Stotler. With his shock of blond "towhead" hair, this youngest of four children enjoyed his childhood while being raised in the Kern River oilfields on the Chanselor Canaelo Midway Oil Company lease about half a mile from Gordon's Ferry. His boyhood days spent playing on the oil leases,attending Aztec School and later Kern County Union High School (now Bakersfield High School), became a foundation for a lifelong interest in the petroleum industry. Dick graduated from "K.C." in 1949. While attending high school, he worked at the Granada Theatre as an usher and there he fell in love with the ticket taker, Pat Marney, who became his wife in 1950. Two sons completed their family, William Richard Stotler, Jr., and Danny Bruce Stotler. While raising their two sons, Dick worked for Kern Oil as a machinist and perfected his skills at not only repairing and fabricating parts for pumping units, but by 1970 Dick had become an inventor with his patented shear-pin rod box. Five years later, in 1975, he established Stotler Co.on 34th Street and remains a vital business in the oil industry today with the new shop on Alken Street. Soon, other modifications and inventions followed: the Annular Blow Out Preventer and the Casing Patch for steam wells. His oil tools became so efficient that Getty Oil would only allow the Stotler Annular on their leases. Dick's work ethic was not limited to the arena of the energy industry; he was an expert gunsmith and worked nights and weekends bluing and polishing guns and rifles. His love of the outdoors was immense. Whether the adventure included fresh-water trout fishing in the Sierras at Twin Lakes or deer hunting up on Sunday Peak at Greenhorn Mountain, Dick was at peace when listening to the quaking aspens and tumbling streams of the eastern Sierras, or watching a sunrise come into full view. Traveling to Canada for goose hunting trips with his son and grandson were additional opportunities to hand down his legacy of his love of the outdoors. Dick was just as comfortable with a fishing rod and creel in his hands as he was dancing on elegant cruise lines with his beloved, Pat. He was a world-class traveler in every sense of the word. Cruises to Alaska, Cuba, Panama, the Mediterranean and Hawaii are but a few of the many destinations they discovered together, always bringing home souvenirs for their children and grandchildren and more exciting stories to tell. Yet his life was not one of merely hard work at his "shop" and leisure; he also knew the value of giving back to the community. He served as president of the Kern County Shrine Club, the Kern County Shrine Clown Club, a Boy Scout leader, and president of the Kern County Shrine Club Petroleum Unit. He had a special affinity for children and donated innumerable hours by participating in parades and banquets to benefit the Shrine Children's Hospital. Dick was preceded in death by his oldest brother, Robert Stotler, Gene Stotler Day, and his parents, Aubrey Richard and Helen. Survivors include his wife, Pat, sons Richard and Danny and their wives, respectively, Susie and Darlene. His grandchildren include Jason and Scott Stotler and their wives Patty and Elizabeth. Granddaughters include Sarah Stotler Dawson and Jill Stotler Urmston and their husbands, Ryan Dawson and Nathan Urmston. Great grandchildren include Mia,Grace, Samantha and Drew Urmston, Owen and Olivia Stotler and their mother Angela Thompson Stotler, and Brooks and Emily Dawson. All of his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren reside in Bakersfield. Other survivors include Dick's sister, Marilyn Ledbetter, and his sister-in-law, Neva Marney Johnson. In addition to Dick's relatives, he also leaves his good buddy of more than 70 years, Don Brown, and his wife, Lorraine, and many nieces and nephews. His dear friends in the petroleum industry and in the Shrine Club also are among those who will miss his endearing smile and warm laughter. Dick Stotler, a man of incomparable ethics, was intelligent yet humble, courageous yet mild, generous yet practical, and he will be immeasurably missed, yet he will remain closely in our hearts forever. Dick Stotler's services are as follows: a viewing from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 21st, at Hillcrest Memorial Park followed by a Masonic service at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 22nd at Hillcrest Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Shrine Children's Hospital.