Stoddard, Aaron Lee – 1920-2010

DUEHRING, JESSOP, LEATHERBERRY, STODDARD, THOMAS

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 10/23/2010 at 12:07:04

Lee Stoddard passed away on Oct. 10, 2010. Preceded in death by 11 siblings. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Roberta; children Karen (David) Duehring, Carolyn Stoddard and Debra (Mark) Jessop; two granddaughters, Eliza Stoddard Leatherberry and Gillian Stoddard Leatherberry; one brother, Frank; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be on Mon., Oct. 18, 2010, at 11 a.m. at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary in Littleton, Colorado.
A reception will be from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. the same day at Chapel Hill. The burial will be immediately following the memorial service at Ft. Logan National Cemetery in Denver. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his honor to Aurora Gateway Rotary Club Foundation, 3455 S. Corona, #814, Englewood, CO 80113 or a charity of your choice in his name.
To share a memory of Lee, visit www/olingerchapelhill.com.
Source: Newton Daily News; Friday, October 15, 2010

Additional information from Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary website:
Aaron Lee Stoddard, the son of Wm. Henry & Catherine Stoddard was born October 5, 1920 in Twin Falls, Idaho, and passed away Monday, October 10, 2010 at the age of 90 years. Lee was the tenth child in a family of thirteen, nine boys and four girls. He spent the first thirteen years in Twin Falls, Idaho, finishing Junior High, then the family moved to a ranch in Salmon, Idaho.
Lee helped farm, raising potatoes and sugar beets on the ranch. He became an expert in irrigation and an outstanding marksman with his rifle, hunting for food for the family table.
In the summer of 1937, Lee returned to Twin Falls to live with his sister where he graduated from high school in 1938. He then returned to the ranch in Salmon to assist in farming and helping with the dairy herd. In 1940 Lee enlisted in the Navy and was sent to San Diego, CA for training. After graduating from Fire Control School in March 1941, he was sent to Pearl Harbor and stationed aboard the battleship NEVADA where he served for three years. During the attack on Pearl Harbor Lee's job was to fire the big 16" guns to help ward of the Japanese fighter planes. The NEVADA was docked next to the ARIZONA when it went down. The NEVADA was the only battleship that went under during the attack and was beached on Hospital Point, The ship was raised, sent back to Bremerton, WA for repairs and then ferried troops to Europe preparing for D-Day. Also, the NEVADA was active in the Aleutian Islands. Lee was a member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.
He attended the University of Minnesota and the University of Notre Dame, getting his commission in August 1945. Lee was discharged from the Navy in December 1945 and returned to Salmon, Idaho to help on the ranch. Lee also spent several months working for the Forest Service, which he enjoyed very much, riding the mountain trails on horseback.
Lee met his future wife, Roberta Thomas of Orient, Iowa, on the troop train in 1945. He decided to return to school at the University of Iowa in the fall of 1946 to pursue a degree in business. Lee and Roberta were married in September 1947 and Lee graduated from the University of Iowa in March of 1949. While in Iowa City attending school he worked as a journeyman electrician, helping install the first stop light in Iowa City. He also wired many homes and did electrical repair work most of his life. He was hired by the Maytag Company of Newton, Iowa in March 1949 and spent the next fifteen years in the Service Department, spending four years in Harrisburg, PA training service personnel throughout the East Coast on the new automatic washer. His oldest daughter, Karen, was born in Harrisburg, PA and when she was 2 1/2 years old he was transferred back to Newton where he spent the next fourteen years with Maytag. During that time his second daughter, Carolyn and his third daughter, Debra were born.
During his time in Newton, Lee was active in the Maytag Management Club, the Masons, and started the Toastmasters Club for professional business men. During Lee's years with the Maytag Company one of the things he was very proud of was the TV ad featuring "Old Lonely" that was on TV for 17 years. He was acquainted with the star of the ad and he and Roberta had dinner with him a few times. Maytag appliances required very little maintenance and it was a memorable and successful ad.
Lee attended the Newton United Methodist Church. He was active in an Investment Club, played a lot of bridge and was a member of a poker club. Ballroom dancing was another favorite activity he enjoyed. He was an avid reader of history and philosophy. Lee also kept in touch with many long time friends he cherished through the years. One of Lee's favorite pastimes was having a big dish of vanilla ice cream almost every day and sharing it with a friend if possible.
In 1964 Lee was recruited by Speed Queen of Ripon, WI to become Service Manager. He and his family moved to Ripon and he was there as Service Manager for 15 years. He traveled all over the United States in his work and enjoyed all the distributors he kept in touch with for many years. In 1979 Lee and Roberta moved to Denver, CO to work for an appliance/parts distributor. He also sold signage for several years to many businesses/hotels around Colorado and held a commercial real estate license.
In Denver Lee continued his lifelong interest in bridge, was active in a Square Dancing Group, working in the yard and garden, and always interested in all the new and old cars on the market. He attended Cherry Hills Community Church, participating in the Men's Bible Study Group.
Lee was a member of the Masonic Temple, Charter Member of Aurora Gateway Rotary Club and Elks. He was a long time member of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturing, during which time he testified before a Congressional Sub Committee regarding warranty bills before Congress
Lee is survived by his wife of 63 years, Roberta, daughters, Karen (Dave) Duehring, Ripon/Green Lake, WI, Carolyn Stoddard, Muskego, WI and Debra (Mark) Jessop, Denver, CO, two granddaughters, Eliza Stoddard Leatherberry and Gillian Stoddard Leatherberry both of Chicago, IL and many nieces and nephews. Lee has one surviving brother, Frank Stoddard of Salmon, Idaho.