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Carl Elton Stidham of Brawley, CA at the age of 87, went home to heaven on December 14, 2021.
Carl was born in the Township of W. McKinley in Caddo County, OK on June 1, 1934. He was the oldest child of 14, born to parents, Dee and Edith Stidham.
In 1941, Carl's family moved to a farming community in Floyd, NM where Carl attended school and grew up working on their farm. He would tell his kids funny stories about his pet piglet; how it would follow him everywhere and how many times his pet would need rescuing from how curious it was, to getting chased with a broom by his mother for being in the house.
His family attended church in Portales, NM where Carl met the love of his life, Ann Willingham. Sometime after Carl and Ann had met, while Carl was with his cousins walking in front of Ann's family home, as if by faith he told his cousins that he was going to marry Ann one day. The neat thing was that Carl was friends with her brother and Ann was friends with his sisters, so it made sense that when the Willingham family, unfortunately, had decided to move to Brawley, CA and wanted a last goodbye to everyone in NM, that Carl was also there. No one really knows what happened that day except that Ann's Dad, fortunately, knew that Carl loved his daughter so he asked him if he would like to go to California with them. Carl immediately said yes, that he would go get his things and he was ready to go with them quite quickly without ever looking back.
This was in 1952 and the next year in the spring of 1953, Carl and Ann married and began their Real Life Love Story that will always live on. They were married for almost 69 years and raised a happy family of three children.
Carl was the owner of Carl Stidham Enterprises, an independent farming contractor, until he retired. He had a green thumb and could always be seen in his garden with his flowers, fruit, vegetables and trees. Carl always stayed busy with this or that, tinkering and fixing things from his shop, to repairs and updates with even small remodels around their home never one to shy away from a DIY. When Carl did his weekly errands, he always would brighten people's days with his infectious smile that he always shared with everyone around and they came to love and depend on. Either you knew Carl by name or by face, but always felt welcomed and known as he treated all like family. It is doubtful that an unkind word could ever be said about Carl.
Carl is survived by his wife, Ann (Willingham) Stidham of 68 years; 2 children: daughter, Carleen (Terry) Robertson; son, Richard Stidham of Brawley, CA; 4 grandchildren, Renee (Robertson) Plunkett of Brawley, CA; Terry II aka Deuce (Rachel) Robertson of George Town, TX; Kenneth, (Priscilla) Robertson of Brawley, CA; Michael (Candice) Rouhotas Jr. of Brawley, CA and 12 great-grandchildren.
Carl is also survived by 2 brothers, David and Raymond Stidham; 6 sisters, Islamae Arnold, Doris Mc Dougal, Sue Boling, Linda Russow, Betty Hendricks and Edith Phillips all of AR.
Carl was preceded in death by his daughter, Carolyn (Stidham) Rouhotas of Brawley, CA; grandson, Joshua Rouhotas of Riverside, CA; Scott Plunkett grandson in-law (Rene Robertson Plunkett) of Brawley, CA; two great-grandchildren, Parents Dee and Edith Stidham of Hiwassee, AR; brothers, Harlon & Earlon (twins), Billy Joe, Lawrence Stidham and sister, Fern Brinkley all of AR.
Services will be at Frye Chapel in Brawley, CA on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at 9 a.m. Graveside burial services to follow immediately at Riverview Cemetery
{Published by Imperial Valley Press Online on Mar. 25, 2022.}
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Carl Elton Stidham of Brawley, CA at the age of 87, went home to heaven on December 14, 2021.
Carl was born in the Township of W. McKinley in Caddo County, OK on June 1, 1934. He was the oldest child of 14, born to parents, Dee and Edith Stidham.
In 1941, Carl's family moved to a farming community in Floyd, NM where Carl attended school and grew up working on their farm. He would tell his kids funny stories about his pet piglet; how it would follow him everywhere and how many times his pet would need rescuing from how curious it was, to getting chased with a broom by his mother for being in the house.
His family attended church in Portales, NM where Carl met the love of his life, Ann Willingham. Sometime after Carl and Ann had met, while Carl was with his cousins walking in front of Ann's family home, as if by faith he told his cousins that he was going to marry Ann one day. The neat thing was that Carl was friends with her brother and Ann was friends with his sisters, so it made sense that when the Willingham family, unfortunately, had decided to move to Brawley, CA and wanted a last goodbye to everyone in NM, that Carl was also there. No one really knows what happened that day except that Ann's Dad, fortunately, knew that Carl loved his daughter so he asked him if he would like to go to California with them. Carl immediately said yes, that he would go get his things and he was ready to go with them quite quickly without ever looking back.
This was in 1952 and the next year in the spring of 1953, Carl and Ann married and began their Real Life Love Story that will always live on. They were married for almost 69 years and raised a happy family of three children.
Carl was the owner of Carl Stidham Enterprises, an independent farming contractor, until he retired. He had a green thumb and could always be seen in his garden with his flowers, fruit, vegetables and trees. Carl always stayed busy with this or that, tinkering and fixing things from his shop, to repairs and updates with even small remodels around their home never one to shy away from a DIY. When Carl did his weekly errands, he always would brighten people's days with his infectious smile that he always shared with everyone around and they came to love and depend on. Either you knew Carl by name or by face, but always felt welcomed and known as he treated all like family. It is doubtful that an unkind word could ever be said about Carl.
Carl is survived by his wife, Ann (Willingham) Stidham of 68 years; 2 children: daughter, Carleen (Terry) Robertson; son, Richard Stidham of Brawley, CA; 4 grandchildren, Renee (Robertson) Plunkett of Brawley, CA; Terry II aka Deuce (Rachel) Robertson of George Town, TX; Kenneth, (Priscilla) Robertson of Brawley, CA; Michael (Candice) Rouhotas Jr. of Brawley, CA and 12 great-grandchildren.
Carl is also survived by 2 brothers, David and Raymond Stidham; 6 sisters, Islamae Arnold, Doris Mc Dougal, Sue Boling, Linda Russow, Betty Hendricks and Edith Phillips all of AR.
Carl was preceded in death by his daughter, Carolyn (Stidham) Rouhotas of Brawley, CA; grandson, Joshua Rouhotas of Riverside, CA; Scott Plunkett grandson in-law (Rene Robertson Plunkett) of Brawley, CA; two great-grandchildren, Parents Dee and Edith Stidham of Hiwassee, AR; brothers, Harlon & Earlon (twins), Billy Joe, Lawrence Stidham and sister, Fern Brinkley all of AR.
Services will be at Frye Chapel in Brawley, CA on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at 9 a.m. Graveside burial services to follow immediately at Riverview Cemetery
{Published by Imperial Valley Press Online on Mar. 25, 2022.}
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