Town Crier 13 January 1998, by Carol Tiegs - Staff Writer

Los Altos Hills Council honors late Mary Stutz with honorary pathway The Los Altos Hills path through Juan Prado Mesa Preserve from Stonebrook Drive to Dawson Drive will be known as the Mary Stutz Pathway following action Jan. 7 by the town's council. Stutz, a nine-year veteran of the Los Altos Hills Planning Commission and a 10-year volunteer on the town's Pathway Committee, died in her home Dec. 7. The Los Altos Hills Town Council voted to install a teak bench midway along the pathway, with a plaque containing a dedication to Stutz's longtime service to the community.

Town Crier 05 October 1999, Special Report

Pathways walk in honor of Mary Stutz Members of the Los Altos Hills Pathways Committee invite the public to participate in a pathway walk for the dedication of the Mary Stutz Pathway. The dedication begins 10 a.m., Saturday at the entry to the Mary Stutz Pathway on Stonebrook Drive between Prospect Avenue and the entry to the Quarry subdivision. Mary Stutz was a tireless volunteer for Los Altos Hills for more than 25 years. She chaired the Pathways Committee for two terms and was on the Planning Commission for 12 years. The pathway named in her honor goes from Stonebrook Drive through Juan Prado Mesa Preserve to Dawson Drive. The walk will begin following a brief ceremony. The Community Relations Committee will serve refreshments afterwards. Hikers and equestrians are welcome. Organizers suggest hikers bring water and wear appropriate shoes to fully enjoy the outing.

Town Crier 22 October 2014, Written by Staff

Pathway named for longtime LAH volunteer The town of Los Altos Hills named its newest pathway in honor of Bob Stutz, a 52-year resident of the town and longtime volunteer. The town has scheduled a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the path 10 a.m. Nov. 1 at the trailhead on Dawson Drive between numbers 11635 and 11639. From there, the path follows a series of switchbacks down to the main trail route. The main path connects with El Monte Road at the corner of Stonebrook Court at the edge of the Interstate 280 off-ramp onto Magdalena Road. The new path links the northern and southern parts of Los Altos Hills and provides an off-road route to Foothill College and St. Nicholas Catholic School. The Dawson Drive trailhead is only steps away from the Mary Stutz Path, opened in 1999, named in honor of Bob’s late wife. “It has taken 35 years to secure all the easements for the new path, proving once again that we must take a long-range view when thinking about our pathways system,” said Sue Welch, Pathways Committee member. The new trail offers views of the Bay and the Diablo Range from high points near Dawson Drive. Meandering beneath arching oaks, the path crosses Hale Creek as it drops down from Neary Quarry. Horses, bicycles and pedestrians are allowed access. Light refreshments will be served at the ribbon cutting. Members of the Pathways Committee will walk the new path and be available to answer questions. Anne Duwe (Pathways Committee), John Radford (LAH Town Mayor), and Bob at ribbon cutting for the pathway

Town Crier 09 December 1997, Written by Linda Taaffe - Staff Writer

Mary Stutz, longtime LAH activist, was vital to creation of town pathways Though she never rode horses and a rare and debilitating disease left her unable to walk, Mary Stutz worked unceasingly to create the pathway system in Los Altos Hills that has helped retain the town's rural nature. The 35-year Los Altos Hills resident who served on various town committees for the past 30 years, died at her home Dec. 7. She was 75. "She was to Los Altos Hills what Audrey Fisher was to Los Altos," said Los Altos Hills councilwoman Elayne Dauber. Mrs. Fisher was the first woman mayor of Los Altos who died Nov. 26 at age 93. Mary Stutz "will be greatly missed. The Town of Los Altos Hills is very much richer because (the Stutzes) chose to move here." Mrs. Stutz's husband, Bob, said she was "feeling pretty good" and even attended the annual Community Service Awards luncheon at the Youth Center last Friday. According to Bob, Mrs. Stutz died in the early morning hours from fluid in her lungs caused by pleurisy. Longtime friend and fellow planning commissioner, Dorothea Schreiner, described Mrs. Stutz as "Mrs. Los Altos Hills." "This is a tremendous loss. She had her fingers in a variety of committees and subcommittees. A lot of background has been lost," Schreiner said. A nine-year veteran on the Los Altos Hills Planning Commission and a 10-year volunteer on the Pathway Committee, Mrs. Stutz was often the swing vote that decided how and if new homes could be built. "She listened to people, thought things through and dealt with them. That was her main strength on the planning commission and pathway committee," Bob said. "She always tried to be somewhat flexible and logical." The Stutzes moved to Los Altos Hills in 1962 because "when you have horses in the family, you need to get out into the country," Bob said referring to his daughter Delme's pet horses. From that point forward, both Stutzes began serving on various committees, with Mrs. Stutz serving as the researcher and Bob as the technician. Bob said Mrs. Stutz started out helping him while he served on the Horseman's Association and the Pathway Committee in 1970. "She would check maps from the county for me," he said. From that experience, she continued on with the Pathway Committee from 1978 to 1987 and eventually the planning commission from 1987 until her death, he said. In addition to mapping, clearing, developing and maintaining numerous trails in Los Altos Hills and leading the overall development of the town's pathway system, Mrs. Stutz also served as a Brownie and Girl Scout leader. She helped reconstruct the town's riding rink and helped build a new barn at Hidden Villa. She was the recipient of the Community Volunteer Award in 1981 and again in 1984 with her husband Bob. The daughter of Reginald and Ruth Holly, Mrs. Stutz was a native of Oregon. She met Bob while earning her bachelor's in botany at Oregon State University, where they both attended school. The two married in 1945 and moved to Los Altos Hills in 1962. Mrs. Stutz worked as Bob's secretary at Chapman Chemicals in Palo Alto, saying she was the only one who could read his writing. She also worked as a tax consultant for 20 years until she retired in 1989. Mrs. Stutz is survived by her husband, Bob; five children, John Stutz, Delme Fry, Thomas Stutz, Kathy Stutz-Taylor and Robert E. Stutz Jr.; two siblings, Bill and Helen; and nine grandchildren. She was predeceased by her brother, Tom. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Christ Episcopal Church in Los Altos. The family requests that donations be made to the Community Services Agency of Mountain View and Los Altos, 204 Stierlin Road, Mountain View, 94043.

Town Crier, 01 October 2014, Written by Staff

LAH fire district honors former commissioners Jitze Couperus/Special to the Town Crier Retiring Los Altos Hills County Fire District Commissioners Owen Halliday, from left, and Bob Stutz celebrate receiving fire helmets with a special emblem honoring their service with Chief Ken Kehmna of the Santa Clara County Fire Department . When Los Altos Hills County Fire District commissioners retire, they receive a helmet emblazoned with the logo of the fire district. The long-standing tradition commemorates their dedication and service to the district, founded in 1939. Retiring Commissioners Bob Stutz and Owen Halliday recently received their awards. Stutz served 25 years on the commission and Halliday served 12 years. The mission of the Los Altos Hills County Fire District is to protect the lives, property and environment within the district from fires, disasters and medical emergencies or incidents through education, prevention and emergency response services.

Town Crier, 13 November 2018 Written by Staff

Robert Eugene Stutz   (1st Jan, 1921 − 12th Oct, 2018) Bob Stutz was born and raised in Corvallis Oregon. On graduating from Oregon State in 1943, he entered the Naval Reserve Officers program, and was commissioned an Ensign in September. Diagnosed with TB just prior to overseas deployment, he spent most of 1944 in a Navy TB ward. This was a defining period of his life. For on seeing too many mostly healthy men give up, decline and die, he determined to "keep moving", and succeeded for over 70 years. On release, Bob entered the Biochemistry PhD program at U. Wisconsin, where he could also be under the treatment of noted TB specialist Dr. Helen Dickie. On 1/July/1945 he married Mary Awdry Radcliffe of Klamath Falls, Oregon (12/June/1922 - 8/Dec/1997). They had met in Botany Lab at OSC, and would share their interest in plants til Mary's death. On completing his degree, Bob took up the study of photosynthesis at the DoE's Argonne National Lab near Chicago. But he and Mary both wanted to raise their children in Oregon, and in 1956 he joined the Western Pine Association's Research Lab, in Portland, Oregon. This led him into the field of lumber treating chemicals, which he pursued til his retirement in 1986, first at Western Pine, later with Chapman Chemicals in Memphis and Palo Alto, and finally as a consultant for Koppers, developing and testing formulations in his own home lab. Bob and Mary moved the family to Los Altos Hills in 1963, taking advantage of the low prices in what was then the hinterland of Palo Alto and Los Altos. They remained there the rest of their lives. Both were long active in town government, primarily on the planning and pathway committees. Bob was also very active with the Los Altos Hills Horseman, serving as president for many years, and supporting their construction projects long after retiring from active leadership. His latter civic service was with the Los Altos Hills County Fire District where, as finance officer, he was instrumental in arranging the 1996 construction of the Foothill College Fire Station without incurring any bonded debt. Bob had been active as a youth in the Boy Scouts, and continued till his children were grown, serving as a scoutmaster in the early 1950's in Illinois, and circa 1970 with Explore Post 30 in Los Altos. He and Mary both accompanied the Post on some notable week long Sierra hikes. Both had long enjoyed travel, taking the family on many extended car camping trips, venturing as far east as Nova Scotia. Following Bob's retirement they took up touring on a wider scale, to Europe and the Near East. Mary was diagnosed with a blood cancer in 1990, and the focus of Bob's life shifted to keeping her as healthy as possible. He succeeded for seven years, against a disease usually fatal within five. Her death in 1997 was a great loss, but he kept moving for another 20 years. Following Mary's death, much of his time was devoted to maintaining their house and grounds, but he continued to travel with friends and children, including High Sierra horsepacking trips into his 90's. He will be missed, by many more than his family. A memorial service will be held on November 17, at 10:00AM at Christ Episcopal Church, 1040 Border Road, Los Altos, CA.

Miscellaneous pictures with Bob Stutz

...worth a thousand words. On retiring after 25 years as a Fire Commissioner Arriving at a surprise party for his 96th Birthday, Jan 6, 2017 96th Birthday Party - Former Mayor Tom McReynolds, Bob, and Jitze Couperus 96th Birthday Party - Bob, with daughter Delme Fry, and Nick Dunkel In The Town Crier edition of December 5th, 2018