Donald W. Stobs, Jr.

Donald Wayne Stobs, Jr. was a native Miamian and the son of Donald Wayne and Mabel Helena Kaiser Stobs. He attended Horace Mann Jr. High School and Miami Edison High School. He spent his senior year at Bullis Academy in suburban Washington, D.C. in preparation for the Naval Academy. He received an appointment to the Academy but changed his mind and accepted Yale admission instead.

At Yale, Don was a resident of Berkeley College (on the Berkeley swimming team), was in N.R.O.T.C. and St. Elmo, and was a Young Republican. Don majored in Economics. After graduation he was commissioned an ensign. He was promoted to lieutenant and served on USS Observation Island during the Cuban Missile Crises.

Following his active duty Navy service, he attended the University of Florida Law School where he graduated as Salutatorian. After a year of practicing law, he decided to further his education and attended NYU where he earned his Master’s in Tax Law and was Valedictorian of his class. In 1969, Don began practicing law for a Miami firm until he left to open his private practice in Miami Shores. Don specialized in Tax Law and entertainment law.

Don was a stalwart of the Miami Shores community and a Deacon of the Miami Shores Presbyterian Church. Don retired in 2000 and enjoyed spending his free time with his longtime Miami Shores childhood friends, out and about in the community, and of course, on the golf course. He is survived by his two children, Donald W. Stobs III and Beth Ann Stobs, their mother, Ann Wright Stobs, his sisters, Shirley Stobs Davis and Carol Sue Stobs, and innumerable cousins, nephews and nieces.

Don roomed with Jim Litvack and Roman Weil, both of whom supplied memories of his life at Yale. Roman reported that Don was a first-rate athlete, although not as good as his sister who competed on the 1960 Olympic Team. Roman summed it up this way: “He perfected techniques of getting through Yale minimal passing grade and maximal poker/gin winnings. Weekend trips to various women’s colleges. I don’t know anyone who enjoyed Yale more. De mortui nil nisi bonum.”

A Memorial Service was held on Friday, April 26th at the McArthur Memorial Chapel of the Miami Shores Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, the family asked for donations to be made in his name to the military charity of choice.

R. G. Oliver