Donald Pleines "Don" Shaub

1923 - 2016

Donald (Don) Pleines Shaub was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1923. His father was a railroad man and his mother was a milliner. Don had two older half-brothers, Walter and Leonard. He had an older sister, Eleanor, and a younger brother, Roy. All of his siblings preceded him in death. He served in the U. S. Army in World War II in the European Theater. On December 24, 1944, Don was serving with the 66th Infantry Division and while being transported from Southampton, UK to Cherbourg, France survived the torpedoing of his transport ship, the SS Leopoldville, by jumping onto the deck of the HMS Brilliant, which had come to the aid of his sinking ship. That night 763 other soldiers on board lost their lives. Don later received a medal for his courage. He told his story on videotape and it can be seen at the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, KS.
After graduating from the University of Utah in 1948 with a degree in Civil Engineering, he married Patricia Jurgens of Ogden, Utah. Don and Pat traveled to Bartlesville after their marriage where he took a job with Phillips Petroleum. Don worked for Phillips his entire career with postings near Bozeman, MT; Dumas, TX; Chippewa Falls, WI; Salt Lake City, UT; Albuquerque, NM; Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and London, UK with frequent periods in Bartlesville, OK. Don worked as a project engineer and project manager on numerous successful and challenging large capital projects for Phillips.
Don died in the morning of December 2 after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Patricia (Pat) Shaub and his children: Diana Fererro of Erie, CO, Wendy Leader of Bartlesville, OK and Mark Shaub of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Don and Pat's fourth child, Laurie Carmody, died in 2001. Don and Pat had six grandchildren: Jennifer Fererro of Carlsbad, CA; Kathleen Fererro of Longmont, CO; Matthew Leader and Nicholas Leader of Portland, OR; Elizabeth (Bess) Leader of Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica; and Léonora Mia Shaub of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Don and Pat had four great-grandchildren: James, Cormac and Bennett Nichols of Longmont, CO and Zephyr Fererro Pierson of Carlsbad, CA.
Don was an athletic and active man with a strong character; an analytical mind that quickly assessed problems and found practical and efficient solutions; a strong critic of any action or person, himself included, not living up to his high standards; a firm and demanding dad, but a real friend and guide with whom his grown children forged a very strong bond.
As recently as October of this year, he was still using the riding mower on the lawn and helping his daughter move into the home he and Pat vacated this summer to move into Green Country Village in Bartlesville. Don was a strong role model for his grandsons, showing them how a man lives a good life, doing things because they are the right thing to do, working hard, taking care of those he loves, and helping anyone who needs it - relative, friend, neighbor or complete stranger. Many in the community know that Don and Pat Shaub advocated for the first special education classes in Bartlesville schools, founded the ARC Thrift Shop here, helped get a sheltered workshop going for intellectually disabled adults, and donated countless years to the cause of helping people with disabilities.
A reception in his honor was held at his daughter's home on Monday, December 5, 2016.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the charity of the donor's choice.
Fiends who wish may sign the online guests book and leave condolences at www.stumpff.org.