June 28, 2013

Obituary
December 13, 1989
In Loving Memory of Robert Stovall
Robert Earl Stovall was the fourth child born to Mayola and Eddie Stovall, Sr. on November 25th, 1948 in Oroville, Calif. He graduated from Oroville Union High School in 1967 and two years later joined the United States Army where he was a power machine operator and courageously survived the Vietnam War. He married Rosetta Chandler on May 30, 1976. As a child he was affectionately known by his family as “Pie Boy”. Somehow he managed to drop every pie he put his hands on. He attended Taylor Memorial C.M.E Church in Oroville, California as a young child. In 1971 he moved to Los Angeles and in 1979 he received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and was filled with the Holy Spirit, baptized and received the right hand of fellowship at Crenshaw Christian Center. Robert was not the best water skier in the family, but he displayed a sense of humor which he maintained throughout the battle against his body and his stay in the Veterans Hospital, L.A. California. He leaves to cherish his memory: his wife, Rosetta C. Stovall: sons, Derrick Jerome Stovall and Anthony Chandler: and daughter, Maiesha Lanai Stovall. Also his father and mother, Eddie and Mayola Stovall: brothers, Eddie L. Stovall, Jr. and Freddie L. Stovall: Sisters, Barbara A. Johnson, and Marie S. Williams: Grandfather Lagrone Stovall: and a host of other relatives and friends. There are no words more fitting this valiant warrior than the words of the Apostle Paul to Timothy: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness-which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also who love his appearing.” II Timothy 4:7-8

Oroville Mercury Register
February 8, 1945
In the Fight
Finds Monkey A big Help In Swamp Experience
2nd Lt. Walter D. Bean, U. S. Marine Corps, of Clipper Mills, figures he owes his life, or at least some comparative comfort, to a baby rhesus monkey that took care of the scores of insects that threatened to eat him alive when he was forced to bail out of his crippled plane over the Philippine jungles. He landed safely in the water and spent the next nine days swimming, paddling canoes and wading through uncharted swamps, making his way back to camp. He had several close calls with the Japanese but said he found the insects much more tantalizing. When he came across the little monkey, Bean remembered a native custom and tied the little fellow to his neck, letting him wander at will about his head and shoulders and pick up and eat the insects. The rhesus was a “wonderful survival mate,” Bean said, and the monkey apparently liked the lieutenant’s company because it was reported the monkey “grew fat from all the bugs he snatched from my head.” 2nd Lt. Ulysses Andy Knight of Baltimore, Md., was Bean’s companion in his experience. He also had a monkey and became so attached to his little pet that he built a special little cockpit, complete with safety belt, inside his plane.

Stu’s Notes:
Robert Earl Stovall, born in Oroville, being 8 year older I was out of Oroville High when he was there, so I didn’t know him. He was the Brother-in-law of Oroville Veteran Memorial for all of Butte County Committee member Manuel Johnson. Reading his Obituary I think Manual was a lucky man to have him as a brother-in-law. Sadly his life was cut way to short.

I’ve written thousands of stories of our Heroes now. Who knows if 2nd Lt. Walter D. Bean ever lived in Butte County. It doesn’t matter anyway, up there in the land of Committee Member Phil Sortino. Some of the kids go to Oroville High some go to Yuba High. Anyway that story of the monkey riding on his head has to be up there with some of my strangest stories. War makes strange bed fellows. I think if a Japanese patrol did see him, they probably said let him go, anybody with two heads, one man and one monkey has to be crazy. Must be something in the water up at Clipper Mills. I’m sure Phil will get this story to the Clipper Mills people.

Today, Tuesday June 24, it rained; also I attended a Memorial dedication to the Men who died building the South Fork Project. Yours truly had a big part in getting it there. You can see it to the left of where you go to pay your bill at South Feather Water and Power, formerly Oroville Wyandotte Irrigation District.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Calendar states the Korea War started on June 25, 1950 (63 years ago) and that it ended July 1953 (63 years ago). The bottom line is the Korea War Veterans are fast approaching 80 years old and many have passed that mark years ago. Many have passed on, WWII Veterans are all over 85 years old, the Vietnam War Veterans are not kids anymore. But it will be up to them and the Gulf War Veterans to carry on the VFW’s and the American Legion’s or these long cherished groups of our Nation’s Heroes will fade away and I think that would be a most sad day. Oh yes I’m a member of the New to Oroville Men’s Auxiliary of the VFW, riding into that group on my daughters “coat tails” so to speak. Or is it so to write? Oh well Debbie went to War and I’m very proud of her and proud to join that group.