Paul Lewis Stebbins, MD

1932 - 2012

Paul Lewis Stebbins, MD, age 80, of LakeView, died Dec. 30, 2012, of natural causes at home. A Celebration of Life event is being planned in Paul's honor. Date to be announced. All are welcome.
Paul was born on May 15, 1932 in Higginsville, Mo., to Hollie R. and Luella (Miller) Stebbins. His early years were all spent in Missouri where he helped his parents on their farm and in their Piggly Wiggly grocery store. He attended grade school at Bancroft Grade School in Kansas City and Williams Grade School in Independence. He graduated as Valedictorian of Blue Springs High School in 1950. 
Paul attended college at the University of Missouri. He graduated in 1954 with a major in Zoology and a minor in Chemistry. While there he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. During this time he also served in the Missouri National Guard, Battery D 129th Field Artillery, from 1948-1954. 
Paul studied medicine at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and received his medical degree in 1959. At Baylor, he was a member of the medical fraternity Alpha Kappa Kappa. 
He joined the Navy Reserve Medical Corps in 1959. From 1960-1968 he served in the US Navy, Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One, in both the Philippines and Japan. He retired from the Navy as a Flight Surgeon with the rank Lieutenant Commander.
Paul devoted his life to service as a medical doctor for over 53 years, specializing in Internal Medicine. He was beloved by his patients and was well-known for his caring bedside manner and intelligent, practical approach to medicine. After over 20 years of successful private medical practice in Seattle, Wash., he came to Lake View, IA in January of 1989 and began working at the McCrary-Rost Clinic, where he continued until 2001. He never officially 'retired' as he saw patients up until his last week of life at the Audubon Medical Clinic in Audubon. He was also Medical Director of the Friendship Home in Audubon. Paul was known as a life-long learner with a quirky sense of humor, an experimental cook, and an obsessive gardener. He had a love of travel and spending time with his good friends. He is grievously missed. 
Those left to cherish his memory include his brother, Hollie Stebbins, Jr, of Missouri; son Philip Stebbins of Florida; daughter Selby Stebbins and son-in-law Jeremy Trabue with grandchildren Kelson and Portia in Oregon. He is preceded in death by his parents Hollie and Luella (Miller) Stebbins and an infant daughter, Sabrina. 
The family extends sincere and heartfelt thanks to all those who have shared warm memories of Paul and to those who have kindly sent in memorial gifts to the Friendship Home in Audubon (714 N Division St, Audubon, IA 50025) and to the US Navy Memorial Foundation (USNMF, 701 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite 123, Washington, DC 20004). It has been heartwarming and comforting to know that he was so cherished in his local community as both a doctor and a friend.
Arrangements by the Farber and Otteman Funeral Home of Sac City, IA