Peter Owen Stamats
July 20, 1929 — December 15, 2003
Peter Owen Stamats, died December 15, 2003, at a little past 7:00 p.m. after a courageous battle with cancer at age 74, in his home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Memorial Services: 12:30 p.m. Saturday, December 20, 2003, at Christ Episcopal Church at 220 40th Street N.E. in Cedar Rapids by the Father William Pugliese. There will be no visitation. Arrangements by Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Center in Marion.
Peter was born on July 20, 1929, in Cedar Rapids, his home for most of his life. Peter attended Johnson Elementary School and Franklin High School. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1951 and then served three years in the United States Air Force before moving to Washington DC, where he worked for the Central Intelligence Agency for three years.
Peter was married to and subsequently divorced from Bette-Barron Smith. They had two sons, Peter Spencer Stamats (1958) and William Smith Stamats (1960). He married Susan Portz on June 10, 1988, in Galena, Illinois.
Peter O. Stamats worked for Stamats Publishing Company, now Stamats Communications, Inc., for over thirty-eight years, retiring as President of the company in December 1996. He was Chairman of the Board of the company at the time of his death.
Throughout his life, Peter held many positions, including: Board of Directors at Guaranty Bank and Trust Company, Trustee of Mount Mercy College, President and Trustee of the Brucemore Historic Site, board member of Iowa State Arts Council, the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission, and the Linn County Mental Health Association, member of the executive committee for the Friends of Baker Library at Dartmouth College, and was a lifelong member of the Cedar Rapids Country Club.
As a lifelong patron of the arts, Peter O. Stamats contributed greatly to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art for over forty-five years. He served as a Director and President of the Cedar Rapids Art Association and then as a Trustee and President of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. He was instrumental in soliciting funding for the construction of the current museum at its location on Third Avenue S.E., and contributed both funds and art works to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art and the University of Iowa Museum of Art.
Peter and his wife, Susan, ran Buzzard?s Glory Balloon Company and could often be seen many evenings flying their balloons over the city of Cedar Rapids. In addition, they flew competitively in many regional and national hot air ballooning competitions. He was a life member of the Balloon Federation of America, a member of the North American Hot Air Balloon Association, and was the founding President and Director of the National Balloon Museum in Indianola, Iowa. Peter and Susan were dealers for Cameron Balloons from 1976 to 2002, and later for Lindstrand Balloons.
He is survived by his wife and partner of twenty-five years, Susan Portz Stamats; his son, Peter Spencer Stamats and wife Karen Lynn Allen and their children, Spencer, Veronica and Abigail of San Fransisco, California; his son, William Smith Stamats and wife Anne Purdie Stamats and their children, Benjamin and Haley of Cedar Rapids; his sister, Sally Hedges of Cedar Rapids; his in-laws, Edward and Carmelita Portz of Andrew, Iowa; several brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws; numerous nieces and nephews; and many close friends.
In lieu of flowers, it was Peter?s wish that donations be made to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art in his memory.
Peter was born on July 20, 1929, in Cedar Rapids, his home for most of his life. Peter attended Johnson Elementary School and Franklin High School. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1951 and then served three years in the United States Air Force before moving to Washington DC, where he worked for the Central Intelligence Agency for three years.
Peter was married to and subsequently divorced from Bette-Barron Smith. They had two sons, Peter Spencer Stamats (1958) and William Smith Stamats (1960). He married Susan Portz on June 10, 1988, in Galena, Illinois.
Peter O. Stamats worked for Stamats Publishing Company, now Stamats Communications, Inc., for over thirty-eight years, retiring as President of the company in December 1996. He was Chairman of the Board of the company at the time of his death.
Throughout his life, Peter held many positions, including: Board of Directors at Guaranty Bank and Trust Company, Trustee of Mount Mercy College, President and Trustee of the Brucemore Historic Site, board member of Iowa State Arts Council, the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission, and the Linn County Mental Health Association, member of the executive committee for the Friends of Baker Library at Dartmouth College, and was a lifelong member of the Cedar Rapids Country Club.
As a lifelong patron of the arts, Peter O. Stamats contributed greatly to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art for over forty-five years. He served as a Director and President of the Cedar Rapids Art Association and then as a Trustee and President of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. He was instrumental in soliciting funding for the construction of the current museum at its location on Third Avenue S.E., and contributed both funds and art works to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art and the University of Iowa Museum of Art.
Peter and his wife, Susan, ran Buzzard?s Glory Balloon Company and could often be seen many evenings flying their balloons over the city of Cedar Rapids. In addition, they flew competitively in many regional and national hot air ballooning competitions. He was a life member of the Balloon Federation of America, a member of the North American Hot Air Balloon Association, and was the founding President and Director of the National Balloon Museum in Indianola, Iowa. Peter and Susan were dealers for Cameron Balloons from 1976 to 2002, and later for Lindstrand Balloons.
He is survived by his wife and partner of twenty-five years, Susan Portz Stamats; his son, Peter Spencer Stamats and wife Karen Lynn Allen and their children, Spencer, Veronica and Abigail of San Fransisco, California; his son, William Smith Stamats and wife Anne Purdie Stamats and their children, Benjamin and Haley of Cedar Rapids; his sister, Sally Hedges of Cedar Rapids; his in-laws, Edward and Carmelita Portz of Andrew, Iowa; several brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws; numerous nieces and nephews; and many close friends.
In lieu of flowers, it was Peter?s wish that donations be made to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art in his memory.
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