Jerome Jack Stauber

Jerome Jack Stauber was born in Deaconess Hospital in Milwaukee, WI on May 23, 1925 to Jerome Edwin and Frances Anna-Marie (nee Bauer) Stauber. He attended Brown Street Elementary School, the same elementary school as his father, and later West Division High School. Jerome shoveled snow in the winter time for his elderly neighbors, at no charge, as his wonderful mother had taught him. He worked on a farm during his school vacation for three summers and learned how to drive a small truck at age 13. This work taught him to work hard, be dependable and help wherever it was needed. During this time Jerome rode the bus to and from the farm where he worked 12 hours a day, 6 days a week tending melons, cauliflower, beans, sweet corn, and many other crops all for $12 a week. Of the $12 he gave his mother $9 for room and board and bought his weekly bus pass for $1. The $2 excess bought ice cream cones for 2¢ and trips to the movies for 10¢. While Jerome did have a girlfriend all throughout high school, she ended up marrying someone else during WWII.

After graduating from high school in 1943, Jerome worked for the Ordnance Plant in Milwaukee where they made .50 caliber ammunition. He was just a gofer but he considered it good experience and it gave him enough money to buy an old Chandler automobile, which was made mostly of wood, for $85. It ended up being hit by a street car. In September of 1943, Jerome entered the U.S. Navy. He attended the Great Lakes Naval Training Facility and then Naval Air Technical Training in Millington, TN, as an aviation ordnance man. He was assigned to the Naval Air Station in Arcata, CA. While at Arcata, Jerome met the daughter of pioneer Humboldt County, CA residents, Loretta Mae (Toni) Bagley, and they married on March 2, 1945. He was then assigned to Guam and Saipan in the South Pacific, and also Honolulu, HI at the end of the WWII. Eventually shipped over to Alaska, to the Naval Air Station on Kodiak Island, and was accompanied by Loretta and their son Jerry. Here he was assigned to “flying the chain” with people and supplies in a PBY-5, landing on the water which to Jerome was quite a thrill. He left the Navy in September of 1947.

Following his time in the service, Jerome and his family lived in Milwaukee for a while. There he worked for a wholesale grocery store driving a truck and delivering to mom and pop grocery stores. Later on he found a job at the Transport Company of Milwaukee, the public transit authority for the county. Unfortunately, Jerome was unable to find a house for his family in Milwaukee so they bought a small old van and drove to San Diego, CA. After trying to find a house in San Diego without success, the family went on to Sacramento and lived with Toni’s parents which ended up being for a short time. The only way that Jerome could get housing at this time was to buy the household items of a veteran living in a housing project, all for $700. By this time their daughter Janis was with them and Jerome worked to get his family settled in.

His first job in Sacramento was driving city bus which he felt was a great job and enjoyable. He went on to work for the Post Office as a Railway Mail Clerk on the Sacramento to Oakland run as part of the steam engine short commuter run in August 28, 1948. This post office was on the rails and Jerome did all the normal post office tasks including sorting mail. He found the most interesting stop was the weekly stop in Selby, CA where they picked up 40 pound solid gold bar and transported it to Sacramento where it was transferred to another train heading east. This railway system was part of the transcontinental mail train from San Francisco to Chicago, with San Francisco being the main train. There also was a regular mail only train that came on a nightly basis.

In March of 1949, Jerome transferred to work the Sacramento and Fresno mail train. This was an overnight train with a return time of about 15 hours and was behind a steam engine. With the advent of the diesel engine most steam trains were discontinued and he went to work on the Sacramento-Fresno Highway Post Office. This was like a train except on the highway only and Jerome worked at this location until 1965 when he transitioned to the main Sacramento office. He stayed there at the main office until March of 1967 when an old RPO friend, then a postmaster, found him a job as a clerk in the Fair Oaks, CA Post Office. Also during this time in Sacramento, Jerome worked at a Regal gas station and Washington Inventory Service counting large grocery stores. He then retired on May 30, 1980 with 37 years of service. Jerome purchased a home in South Sacramento, after spending much time living in the veteran’s housing project. They then moved on to Fair Oaks, CA and then to Folsom, CA where they lived in a mobile home park. In 1985 they moved to Happy Trails RV Park in Surprise, AZ and spent some time there before finally moving into a 55 and older non-gated community in Sun City West, AZ.

He was always very active in community settings beginning as a Boy Scout at his family’s Presbyterian Church in 1937. Not being able to afford a knapsack, Jerome’s father made him one and he was able to use it on camp outs. Into adulthood he became active in other activities and organizations. He was a Charter Member of the Freeport Manor PTA in 1951 and elected as first male President in the Sacramento area in 1955 for an entire year. In May 1955 he was delegate to the California State Convention in Los Angeles and rode the same train to LA as he worked on in the RPO car. Jerome was presented an honorary life membership in February 1958. He was Transportation Chairman for the state PTA Convention in Sacramento, providing bus transportation for over 3000 delegates. In the same year he was Civil Defense Chairman also in Sacramento and organized the Block Parent Program. Jerome had multiple other involvements within the Sacramento Council PTA: Auditor (1958), Budget Chairman (1959), Safety Committee Member, first male Treasurer (1959-1961) and mimeograph printer for 4 years.

Other committees Jerome dedicated his time to include: School Trustee in the Sutterville Heights School District (1953), Cub Scout Committeeman in the Freeport Manor Area (1953-1956), Boy Scout Committeeman for Troop 401 (1957), Camping Chairman for the Camp Fire Girls (1960-1964), Dad-Daughter Banquet Chairman (2 years), appointed to Guardian Council of Job’s Daughters (1963 and 1967), Chairman of the Freeport Manor Area United Crusade (1955) and held the same Chairmanship in the Fair Oaks Post Office (4 years). He also was President of Postal Transport Association for a 2 year term (1958) which was formerly known as the Railway Mail Association and attended the 8th division convention in Ogden, UT in July 1958.

He was involved in several organizations throughout his life: Traveler’s Lodge F & AM in Sacramento, CA (joined September 18, 1952), Scottish and Ben Ali Shrine in Sacramento (1965 and 1966) and he received his 50 year CA pin in September 2002 in the Elk Grove, CA Lodge. Jerome was very active in Bethany Presbyterian Church of Sacramento serving as Deacon, Elder, Stewardship CHM, Head Usher for 7 years and Admiral of the Mariners Group. He also was a Charter Member of Sutterport Memorial Post 85 VFW (instituted on January 10, 1953), served as Post Commander in 1956 for 1 year, as well as Chaplain, Officer of the Day and Judge Advocate. He attended many conventions in these roles in and out of state.

Jerome also volunteered a great deal of his time as a fireman. In April 1950 he volunteered in the Sutterville Heights Fire District in Sacramento County. Following the annexing of this territory by the City of Sacramento, Jerome and a friend formed the Sacramento Fire Reserve as part of the Civil Defense Team during November 1953. He was elected First Foreman (Chief) of this group with the task of responding to all 3-11 fire calls. The group had their own CD engine, ambulance and a Chief’s car. Jerome retired from the Sacramento Fire Reserve in late 1973 when he and the family moved to Folsom. He was proud to have completed 20 years of faithful service with many hours of getting out of bed early to go to a fire.

On April 1, 1969 Jerome joined the Eastern Star Temple Hall Board in Sacramento along with Toni and his good friend Joyce Moss who was Worthy Matron. This temple was one of the two in the entire US and housed 5 OES Chapters and located on K Street across from Sutters Fort. He served as Worthy Patron in 1971, 1974, 1979 and 1984. From 1994 to 1996 he was Grand Representative to Wisconsin. He also served on Grand Chapter Committees for years, mostly as Transportation Chairman. Jerome continued serving as Worthy Patron for the Peoria Chapter 59 in Peoria, AZ for 6 years until 2005.

He became a member of the Fair Oaks, CA Rotary Club on March 11, 1968 and was elected as President for 1 year in July 1973. Jerome also served as Treasurer for three years until 1980 and then joined the Kitchen Serving Committee which he served on until 1987. On March 21, 1983, he received his Paul Harris Fellowship, having 17 years of perfect attendance. After moving to Arizona, he became a Charter Member of the Surprise Rotary Club on February 23, 1991, serving as President (July 1995 – June 1997) and Secretary-Treasurer (July 1998 – June 2005). Jerome received an outstanding achievement award at the 100th dinner on February 23, 2005.

Jerome became a Chapter Member of the National Camping Travelers Group in October 1980. This group was of masonic members with RV’s and Jerome went to many campouts and national conventions with them. He was a volunteer arbitrator for the Better Business Bureau in Sacramento. In April 25, 1981 Jerome was one of the original docents at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento. There he had a railway post office car so he felt right at home and trained all of the docents. In 1993, he was President of the Wagoneers at the Happy Trails Resort. Jerome was also a Sundome Volunteer, joining on October 1, 1995 and until 2005. In March 2003 he became a Sundancer Volunteer at the ball park for spring training. He received volunteer of the month in March of 2004.

There are many other accomplishments and talents that Jerome was proud of. In early 1979 Jerome started square dancing and round dancing with Toni in Pinebrook and attended 10 National Conventions across the US. He was President of the Pinebrook Bowling League. He was also a regular blood donor in both Sacramento and Surprise “Type O Pos”.

Toni, Jerome’s wife of 63 years died on May 2, 2005. He continued to volunteer, travel, donate and participate until his passing on January 26, 2016. He is survived by son Jerry E. Stauber (Marie) and daughter Janis L. Shesler (Stephen), 6 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, brother, wife and two infant children. Donations in Jerome’s honor can be made to Hospice of the Valley West Clinical Office, 9435 W. Peoria Ave., Peoria, AZ 85345-6479.