Stanley Paul Drobish

Stan was born July 20, 1929 in Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut, the son of Stanley P. Drobish Sr. and Mary M. Stefanick, both of Pennsylvania.

He grew up working on his parents’ dairy farm raising cows and crops. He met his future bride, Karin V. Askeroi, who also worked on a local farm. Stan and Karin both had a love of motorcycles and fast cars. Stan started racing stock cars, and soon Karin would join him. They often competed against each other, with Karin often times beating him on the tracks. They fell in love, and married August 25, 1950 in Chittenago, New York. One of Stan’s first jobs was, along with Karin, for Carrier Corp. in Syracuse, New York, working on air conditioning components. He and Karin worked many other jobs together, including truck driving.

After their first child Paula, who was born in 1954, they moved to California to pursue a better life and better opportunities. Stan hired on as a welder, building Sherman tanks for the war. He also worked as a welder building ornamental iron.

Erik, Stan’s oldest son, was ill as a child, and Stan worked many jobs to take care of him and his growing family. They lived in California until 1968, when due to Erik’s kidney disease, Stan took his family to Prospect, Oregon to be closer to the medical attention in Portland that Erik would soon need for his illness. Stan gave a kidney to Eric when his were failing. This was the proudest moment of Stan’s life, to be able to sustain the life of his son. Stan worked in Medford, Oregon as a millwright, and then in 1976 he went to Alaska to work on the Alaska pipeline. He also started his own independent company called Stan’s Portable Welding. In 1981, Stan went to work at St. Helens, Washington.

In 1983, Stan moved to Challis Idaho to work at Thompson Creek mine, where he was a welder, welding instructor and machinist. He worked there until he retired at age 65.

After his wife Karin passed in 2003, he moved to be closer to his daughters in Orofino, Idaho. He resided at Brookside Landing for over a year, then moved to Bovill and lived for two years with his daughter Paula. His illnesses resulted in his move back to assisted living where he then lived his last two years at Whitman Senior living in Pullman, Washington.

Stan is preceded in death by his parents Stan and Mary Drobish, his son Erik Andrew Drobish and his wife Karin V. Drobish.

He is survived by his sister Ann Drebot in Omaha Nebraska; daughters Paula Drobish in Bovill, Elizabeth Smith of Ahsahka Idaho, Christina Hilts of Reno Nevada Anne Drobish Shahat of Moscow; son William Drobish in Cottage Grove, Oregon; grandchildren Erik Cloud of Boise, Idaho, Zachary Cloud, Matthew Drobish, and granddaughter Chelsea Drobish of Cottage Grove; and great-grandchildren Celestine and Ziggo of Sweethome, Oregon.

Stan was well loved by his children and all who got to know him. He was the kindest, most caring man, husband and father. He loved the times he spent with his family and the simple things in life. A cold beer, a bowl of ice cream and a game of dice were the things he enjoyed most in his later years. He had a beautiful spirit and a laugh that was infectious. He will be sorely missed.

A family memorial service will be held at a later date.

In memorandum, donations can be made in Stan’s memory to ICARE, Inc. (cancer assistance and recovery efforts) 1691 Old Ahsahka Grade, Ahsahka, Idaho 83520.

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