Stanley Rydbom
Stanley Rydbom

Obituary of Stanley Walfred Rydbom

Dr. Stanley Walfred Rydbom passed away the morning of March 19, 2008. Stan is survived by Alma, his loving wife of 62 years; his remaining children Noel (Sandy) Rydbom, Dr. Nancy (Alvin) Rothbauer, and Rick Rydbom; his grand-children Rachael, Sarah, Ian, Shannon, and Erik; and his great-grandchildren Lianna and River. Stan is also survived by his brother Dr. Kenneth Rydbom of Spokane, WA and his sister Doris Bloodgood of Newport, WA. Stan was preceded in death by his oldest son Dr. Karl Stanley Rydbom in 2002, and in 1977 by his older brother Walter Rydbom. Stan was born to Swedish Immigrants Fritz and Annie (Westlund) Rydbom in Usk, WA on December 23, 1918. He was the youngest of their four children; Walter, Kenneth, Doris and Stanley. Stan graduated at age 16 from Cusick High School in June of 1935. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Eastern Washington College of Education in 1941. Stan was a member of the EWCE swim team. Stan was the first Selective Service draftee from Pend Oreille County, WA for service in the U.S. Army in 1941. (He was a charter member of the O.H.I.O. club.) In the army Stan distinguished himself by being selected for Officer Candidate School where he became a 2nd Lieutenant in Chemical Warfare at Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland in 1942. Stan met a pretty young nurse in the Army Hospital at Edgewood Arsenal who later became his loving wife Alma. Lt. Alma P. Schneider went on to serve in Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines. Lt. Rydbom served at the Chemical Warfare Arsenal in Pine Bluff Arkansas and in 1943-1945 served in England and Europe during WW II where he was awarded the Bronze Star for his role in the Normandy Invasion of June 06, 1944. Capt. Stanley W. Rydbom and Lt. Alma P. Schneider were married in Alma’s hometown of Bentleyville, PA on January 06, 1946. Stan and Alma moved to Seattle, WA where Stan graduated in 1951 as part of the second class ever of the newly established University of Washington Dental School. Stan practiced dentistry in Newport, WA from 1951-1958 and then moved with his wife and four children to Lakewood, WA where he practiced dentistry in Lake City until he retired in 1980. Stan was active in community affairs, a member of the Pierce County Dental Society, a lifetime member of the American Dental Society, a member of the Tacoma Elks Club, and an active member of the Republican Party. Stan entertained his family and friends with his wry wit and unique sense of humor, loved to watch football and had season tickets for the UW Huskies for many years, and daily completed the NY Times crossword puzzle in ink. Throughout his life Stan was an avid outdoorsman. He loved to hunt deer, elk, and birds. He loved to pick huckleberries with Alma in the late summer. He loved to catch salmon on Hood Canal and trout in American lake. He learned to ski with Alma when he was in his 40s and passed that love of snow sports along to his children and grand children. Stan loved to play Continental Rummy with his family members and never was a sore loser, no matter how many points he was stuck with. He loved us. We miss him dearly. Memorial Services will be held this summer in Newport, WA.
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