Ada was born in the community of Pleasant Grove, KS. She was the only child of Richard and Ida "Carrie" Helder Pellet. Her half-brother Charles, a son of her father's first marriage, was about 14 years older than her. After Charley married, Ada and her parents moved to Lawrence in 1902 when she was 12. At that time her father became part owner of Pellet & Ellis, a grocery store located at the corner of Massachusetts and Warren. In 1905 the family lived in Overbrook, where they briefly operated a restaurant. From about Aug 1905 until Aug 1907 they resided in Jackson and Pottawatomie Counties when her father was employed by the government as superintendent and overseer of the agricultural department of the Pottawatomie Indian Reservation.

In the fall of 1907, they moved back to Lawrence when her father was appointed superintendent of the agricultural department at Haskell Indian Institute. Ada attended Lawrence Business College and met Aral Stainbrook, who was also a student there. Aral was employed for a time at the Merchants' National bank in Lawrence and then moved back home to Linn County where he was a bookkeeper and vice president of the Parker State Bank in Parker, KS. Aral and Ada were married Sept. 8, 1913, in Lawrence, and immediately set up housekeeping in Linn County and engaged in farming. They became the parents of 8 children. One son died at birth, but the remaining 2 sons and 5 daughters helped on the farm and were active in 4-H. The family suffered a tragic loss when two of their daughters died in a car/train wreck in 1940.

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Services were held Thursday for Mrs. Cora Ada Stainbrook, who died last Monday at the Holiday Manor Nursing Home, Osawatomie. She was 80. Mrs. Stainbrook was born May 29, 1890, in the Pleasant Valley(sic) community near Lawrence. Her parents were Richard and Carrie Pellett. On Sept. 8, 1913, she was married to Aral Stainbrook. They were parents of three sons and five daughters. They lived in the Parker and Cadmus communities where they were engaged in farming until their retirement. In 1959 they moved to Osawatomie. Mrs. Stainbrook was a member of the First Christian Church of Osawatomie, the Extension Homemakers Unit, and the Hobby Lobby Club. She was preceded in death by her husband, one son, and two daughters, Rachel Louise and Frances Marjorie. Among the survivors are two sons, Richard Stainbrook of Olathe and Frank Stainbrook of Osawatomie, three daughters, May Hightower and Mildred Harley (sic, s/b Hurley) of La Cygne and Fay Talley of Lawrence; 15 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Officiating at the services held in the Eddy Funeral Home was the Rev. Clayton Jackson. Music was by Mrs. Lee Hodgson and Mrs. Vail Stites, accompanied by organist Mrs. John Dollar. Pallbearers were Eddie Moon, Robert Talley, Richard Ray Stainbrook, Larry Kehl, George Hightower, and Kenneth Hightower. Burial was in the Cadmus Cemetery.
Published in the Osawatomie Graphic-News, Mar. 4, 1971.