One of a Kind

Unique

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Words that don’t come close to describing John Stamberg. From his birth on 5/23/43 he walked the earth until 2/27/26 with an unceasing curiosity about anything scientific, mathematical and mechanical. His journey began in Moscow Idaho where he was born. From there he went to Wisconsin where he started his education on a one room schoolhouse without indoor plumbing – only an outhouse. Then it was to several towns in Illinois where he majored in being a rascal.

 

His family finally settled in Silver Spring Maryland for his last year of high school where he met his future wife Elena. Barely graduating from high school he signed himself into classes at Montgomery Junior College (now known as Montgomery College). Then he went on to University of Maryland for a BS in Civil Engineering. He was offered a fellowship to Stanford University which paid for his tuition and living expenses and earned his MS in Sanitary Engineering (now known as Environmental Engineering). He graduated at the top of his class at all three institutions.

 

In 1968 he and Elena married and eventually had two children, Ingrid and Hans. His career blossomed from working at Blue Plains Sewage Treatment Plant in Washington DC to establishing Energy Ventures Analysis, his own consulting engineering firm with a few partners, where he frequently worked for Fortune 500 companies throughout the country. He was the lead engineer in designing the Sparta Re-use Facility in West Monroe Louisiana which converts sewage to drinking quality water. This project received numerous awards including President Obama’s Champions of Change Award. He was a partner in Virginia Vermiculite, a company that mines vermiculite, and designed the plant which processes the vermiculite.

 

He had an uncanny ability to simplify complex issues down to basic science to find solutions. Sometimes the solutions were thought to be strange but they usually worked.

 

His job was interesting but it was a means to support his family and make life easier. His driving interest was antique cars, amassing a collection of approximately 70 cars through the years. Using every excuse possible to add another car to his collection he once used the excuse that he bought a battery and the car came with it.

 

He and Elena went on their honeymoon to Florida in his 1936 Plymouth which he also drove across the country when he went to Stanford. His children came home from the hospital in a pink 1960 Cadillac Fleetwood. His cars were in several movies, some were fully pictured and then there was the famous fender. His favorite cars were 1915 Moline Knight, 1924 Chrysler, 1921 Stanley Steamer and his first car, a 1930 Dodge sedan.

 

Aside from all the stuff that looks good on paper John was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, always participating in our family life, never missing a birthday, a football game, a hockey game, a dirt track race or any family gathering. He was honest, faithful, loving, steadfast and fiercely devoted to his family.  His passing has left a huge hole in the lives of his daughter and husband, Ingrid Stamberg and Joey Ryall, his son and wife, Hans and Barbara Stamberg, and his three grandsons, Canton, Gunnar and Anakin Ryall, and his wife of 58 years Elena with whom he shared a sweet life.

 

A gathering to remember, honor and celebrate John’s life is planned for May 16, 2026. 

Contact estamberg@protonmail.com for information.