Daryl L Stinchfield

Daryl Stinchfield, the 2017 Pioneer Day Parade Grand Marshal, died over the weekend from cancer.

Stinchfield was a Paso Robles resident since his birth in 1940 and he attended Paso Robles High School where he met his wife, Charlotte, and graduated in 1958.

Stinchfield was an avid cyclist and completed a triathlon in 1990. He was also highly involved in the community and served in many capacities including positions with the Pioneer Museum, Tractor Committee, the Cemetery Board, the Salvation Army and the local senior nutrition program.

When asked in an interview during the 2017 Pioneer Day Parade what his favorite thing about Paso Robles was, he was concise and honest about his love for the town.

"It's a great town," Stinchfield said. "It's changed a lot."

Stinchfield was well-known around the community and those who knew him said he was one of the best people they knew.

Tom Madden, the Pioneer Day Parade Chairman for 2016 and 2017, remembered him as the embodiment of the Paso Robles spirit, a humble man who never sought recognition.

"Daryl embodies Paso Robles," Madden said. "Here's a guy who never wanted to be out front, but he was just one of those quiet contributors, and he always had a smile on his face, and a good thing to say about people."

Madden said Stinchfield humbly accepted the 2017 Pioneer Day Parade Marshal nomination and he said he never looked for recognition, that he just wanted to give back to the community.

"When we let him know he was going to be the 2017 Pioneer Day Marshal, he said, 'Aren't there better choices? Isn't there someone better than me?' and that's just Daryl. Daryl is just a kind hearted, good, gentleman…he just wanted to give back and he just wanted to be part of the community, Daryl just embodies what it means to be a Paso Roblan."

Madden knew Stinchfield through crossed community service paths, especially the time both spent with the Pioneer Day Parade and the Tractor Committee. Madden said Stinchfield was always happy to see people he knew and he always expressed what that person meant the him.

"I've never heard anyone say a negative word about Daryl," Madden said. "Daryl was that guy, he was just a good good person."

A celebration of life will be held for Stinchfield at the Live Oak Christian Church at 10 a.m. Feb. 3, followed by a memorial barbecue at the Paso Robles Events Center tractor barn at noon.