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Thomas J Stapleton

January 1, 1924 - December 5, 2019


Thomas J StapletonThomas James Stapleton passed away after a brief illness in Lake Oswego, Oregon,  where he was living with his son Joseph and family on December 5, 2019 3 weeks short of his 96th birthday. 
He attended school in Toledo, Oregon, graduating from Toledo High School in 1942.  During World War II he served in the Navy.  Following his discharge, he attended Oregon State University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy.  He practiced pharmacy for the next 55 years.
In 1951 he married Pauline Potwora.  She predeceased him as did his son Michael and daughter Susan.  In 1984 he married Eileen (Winter) Jackson who passed away in 2011.  Eileen’s daughter is Karen, and son Steve, deceased.  Grandchildren of Eileen are Kim Davison, Matt Davison, Katie Menear, Jake Bell,  Matt Bryan, Kylee Kobernik, Abby Davison, Caleb Menear, Kennedy Menear, Peyton Hunt, Oliver Hunt Lilly Bell, Mike Appling, Maura Rucker, Moriah Roberts and Kelsey Hunt. 
Tom had a son, Steven and wife Pauline, grandson Timothy, granddaughter Cecelia; son, Joseph and wife Roxanne, grandsons Gabe and Austin; Daughter Diane and husband Bret, grandson Ryan and wife Lisa, granddaughter Brittany and husband Matthew, and Marianne and husband Albert, grandsons Thomas, Joseph, Andrew and wife Emma, granddaughter Danielle.  Jerry, husband of Susan with grandsons Nathan and Alex. Deborah wife of Michael and granddaughters Michelle and Carla.
He was predeceased by a brother Robert and a sister Dorothy.
Funeral Mass at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, 650 A Avenue at 11 am on December 28th, 2019, Lake Oswego, Oregon 97034.  Reception to follow in the Parish Hall.  Internment at Belcrest Memorial Park, 1295 Browning Ave. S.  Salem, Oregon 97302 at 3 pm after the reception.

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Our most sincere condolences to Tom's family.  I may be the last of a group of sailors who formed the Order of the Big Ten at Mare Island Navy Yard on September 18, 1944, and were still together on Oct. 31, 1945, in San Bruno. Thomas J. "Red" Stapleton was the Vice President in charge of independence.  I was on Market Street on VJ Day and Tom likely was with me.  I  reconnected with Tom some years ago and will miss hearing from him at Christmas.  Our regards, Jess and Sue Soltess, Michigan.