William Stubenvoll

William George Stubenvoll 97, of Duluth, died Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at Essentia St. Mary’s.  Bill was born March 31, 1920 in NYC to Caroline and Bill Stubenvoll. He graduated from Evander Childs High School and Concordia Jr. College in Bronxville, NY.  He graduated from New York University with a Business degree, after serving in WWII in the Army Air Force (1942-45), as a Captain. After basic training, he went to Miami Beach for Officers Training School where he was an instructor for a year, then transferred to a new squadron being formed in Richmond, Virginia. Its purpose was to lay steel landing strips for marine fighter planes, right after the marines took over an island in the Pacific.  He was then dispersed to Calcutta, India assigned to Dum-Dum airport north of the city.  There he assembled supplies flown over the "Hump" to China.

At the end of the war he returned to NYC, met and married Dore Miller on Dec. 4, 1948 at "The Little Church Around the Corner" in NYC. He worked for Mercantile Stores, originally as a clothing buyer. After several years, he worked at the company's Cincinnati, OH stores (McAlpins), NYC office and then, as President of the Glass Block Store in Duluth.  After 10 years, in 1965, he was promoted to President of the McAlpins group, which included stores in Lexington, KY.  He went on to become the President of Mercantile Stores in NYC.  In 1974, he finished his career in Duluth as President of the Glass Block and a Fargo, ND store.  Shortly after his return, the Duluth downtown store closed and was replaced with the new Miller Mall store (now Younkers).

He was a member of Rotary Club #25, member of the First American National Bank Board (now Wells Fargo), Northland Country Club and the Kitchi Gammi Club. He retired in 1983 to enjoy life at Sunshine Lake, while traveling and skiing with his wife Dore, children and grandchildren.  He enjoyed hunting, biking, reading and especially photography.

He was preceded in death by infant daughter Patty, mother and father.

Surviving is his wife Dore of 68 years, daughter Nancy (Joe Staats) Stubenvoll, sons Dr. Robert (Karen) Stubenvoll, John (Lee) Stubenvoll; grandchildren Robert (Nicole) Joseph, Megan (Jonathan) Knetsch, Michael (Gina) Stubenvoll, Jeannie (Mike) Schumacher & Robb (Laura) Stubenvoll; great grandchildren, Ella Knetsch and Andrew Joseph as well as many special friends.

Visitation will be Monday from 5-7pm in the Dougherty Funeral Home, 600 E 2nd St. Duluth.  Visitation will continue Tuesday from 10am to the 11am Mass of Christian Burial at St. Joseph’s Church Gnesen, 6110 Church Rd. Duluth, MN.   Burial with military Honors accorded by the Duluth Honor Guard at Gnesen immediately following the service.