Stan Lubeck

Stan Lubeck May 26, 1925 - Jun 29, 2011 Resident of Walnut Creek Stanley Einar Lubeck passed away on June 29, 2011, at the John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, CA, after a sudden illness. He was 86. Stan was the second of four children, born in Eureka, CA, to Einar Wilhelm Lubeck and Pauline Menzies Lubeck. The Lubeck family moved to Modesto when Stan was seven and he graduated from Modesto High School with the class of '43. After completing a semester at the University of Southern California, Stan enlisted in the Marine Corps, serving in the South Pacific during WWII as a ball-turret gunner on a torpedo bomber. He was discharged with the rank of sergeant on Jan. 21, 1946 and awarded 2 Gold Stars. Pursuing a life-long love of automobiles, Stan moved to Oakland, CA where he landed a job in the auto body shop of the local Dodge/Chrysler dealership, Cooper Motors. It was in Oakland that Stan met Dorothy Jeanette Stafford and they were married on Aug. 15, 1948. Two boys and a girl soon followed when Tim was born in 1950, Gerald in 1951 and Jane in 1954. By 1959, Cooper Motors decided to relocate to Hayward, CA and Stan was faced with an opportunity. Instead of moving with the company and uprooting the family, he purchased the building that housed the body shop and opened Stan's Body Shop and stayed in business at that location for 25 years. During that time, the family moved to Lafayette, CA where they resided for over 20 years until Stan's retirement when he and Dorothy moved to Walnut Creek, CA. Stan loved cars and he loved driving. In 1966, Stan packed Dorothy and the kids into the family station wagon for a 2-week vacation and drove them from Lafayette to Mazatlan, Mexico and back and he drove every mile of it. He loved being seen in his "cool cars". During his lifetime Stan owned and drove among others, a '57 T-Bird, a 2002 T-Bird, a DeLorean, a Jensen Interceptor and the pride of his fleet, a bright red 1952 Buick 2 door coupe that he fully restored when he was 78. Stan loved the Oakland Raiders (the first edition) and proudly watched his daughter Jane dance as an Oakland Raiderette from 1972-74. He loved bowling and participated in leagues for over 50 years, his last tournament was in Reno, NV a week before he passed away. Stan and Dorothy loved Carmel-by-the-Sea and owned homes there for over 30 years. They loved the Crosby "Clambake" and celebrity watching at the golf and tennis tournaments. Stan always enjoyed family birthday celebrations at local restaurants. On one such occasion celebrating Dorothy's birthday at Narsai's in Kensington during the late '70's, the waiter was describing a particular appetizer made with "force-meat". Stan blurted out, very loudly "Horsemeat", much to the chagrin of the other, startled and suspicious diners. When Dorothy passed in 1997, Stan moved to Rossmoor and tinkered with his cars and often visited Golden Gate Fields and Pleasanton to watch the horses run. At age 85, he declared "I want to buy a race horse!" and soon built a very successful stable with 6 horses and 11 winners in a little over a year, including stakes-placed winners Master Chef and Cody Peak. Some of his happiest days in latter life were spent at the track watching his horses run. He had a smile on his face, win or lose, and he was always ready to go out to dinner afterwards and celebrate. He was a winner, not only at the track but in life, and he truly will be missed. Stan was preceded in death by his parents, Einar and Pauline Lubeck; his loving wife, Dorothy; and their daughter-in-law, Teresa (Gerald) Lubeck. He is survived by his sister, Dorothy Howell of Modesto; brothers Norman Lubeck of Burlingame; and Gene Lubeck of Modesto. He also leaves behind his sons, Tim Lubeck of Walnut Creek; Gerald Lubeck of Walnut Creek; daughter, Jane Lubeck Rivas of McKinney, TX; 3 granddaughters: Shannon Lubeck, Danielle Cohen, & Sara Coffman; and numerous nieces & nephews. The Neptune Society is in charge of the private family services. A Celebration of Life will be held at 5 PM at Zio Fraedo's restaurant, located at 611 Gregory Lane in Pleasant Hill on August 6, 2011. The family requests any remembrances be made to a charity of your choice.