Rose Mary Pangburn Stahmer passed away September 7, 2016 at
the Aspirus Wausau Hospital Palliative Care Clinic. She was 94 years old.She was the daughter of Dr. Harry Keep
Pangburn and Concepcion Batani Pangburn, born in Acapulco, Mexico, on November
13, 1921.She grew up in the two
cultures her parents represented, American and Mexican, for Dr. Pangburn was
both physician and, by decree from the State Department, the American Consul in
charge of the Consulate there.
Wanting to have his children grow up as Americans, her
father requested a transfer to a Consulate on the border of the U.S. where she
and her siblings could live and attend school in this country.She attended grade school and high school in
El Paso, Texas, as well as Business College in El Paso and Mexico City.
Among her employments, she served as a bilingual clerk at
the American Embassy in Mexico City, and during
WWII, served in the same capacity for the Office of Cable and Telephone
Censorship in El Paso, Texas.After attending St. Mary's College at Notre Dame, Indiana in 43/44, she
was employed at the American Consulate at Ciudad
Juarez, Mexico.
On October 13, 1946, she married Dr. Karl H. Stahmer in El Paso, Texas, and moved
to Wausau, Wisconsin.She is survived by her four sons, Karl Pangburn, Richard (Kathleen),
David (Marcia), and Randy; and two grandsons, Paul and Thomas. She is also survived by several nephews and
nieces in the United States and in Mexico.
After receiving her BS degree in December 1975 in Early
Childhood Education from the University in Stevens Point, she taught in the Wausau
Catholic School System, Kindergarten at Holy Name Elementary, and Pre-School at
Cabrini Elementary, until the latter school closed.She often reminisced about those years,
recalling the students with affection.
In later years she considered herself fortunate to be of
service to the Marathon County Court and other institutions that were in need
of a Spanish interpreter to enable communications between them and Hispanics
unable to express themselves in English.To her, it was like going back to her roots, and great satisfaction was
derived from serving both sides.
Rose Mary was among the group that formed what was then
called the Marathon County Medical Auxiliary, and took her turn as president in
1955.She was a member of the Wausau
Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Along with her parents and her husband, Rose Mary was
preceded in death by four sisters: Eloisa P. de Aguirre-Alyuyeta, Bertha P.
Aguirre-Elgueyabal, Martha P. Loizaga Camargo, and Conchita P. Pytcher, and two
brothers: Harry Batani Pangburn and Richard Elbert Pangburn.
Memorial Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September
20, 2016, at Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, 621 Second
St., Wausau, with Rev. James Schaefer officiating.Family and friends may call beginning at 9:30
a.m. until the time of service at the church.Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery, Wausau.
You may sign the family guestbook at www.helke.com.
