Gilda Bauer Stubbs was born in 1929 in Chelan, Washington, to Elliott and Nina Smith just as the world was entering the Great Depression. After her parents divorced, she and her younger sister, Wanda, were raised by their grandmother and aunt, Millie. Gilda had fond memories of living in Chelan and returned there often.
After high school, she moved to Ritzville, where she lived with her Aunt Millie and Uncle Rod. It was there that she met her first husband, Bob Bauer, and they married in July 1950. Following Bob’s graduation from Eastern Washington College, they moved to Centralia, where she lived for the next 70 years. Their daughter, Gail, was born in the summer of 1953, followed by their son, Roger (Reb), in the spring of 1956.
Gilda went back to college at Centralia Community College and then to Pacific Lutheran University, where she completed her bachelor’s degree in education, majoring in English and minoring in German. She taught English and German at Centralia High School, where she was known to her students and many German exchange students as Frau Bauer. She and Bob divorced in 1980, and she retired from teaching 10 years later.
She met her second husband, Paul Stubbs, at the community swimming pool, where she was swimming laps for exercise. They were married in 1992 and enjoyed travels around the United States and especially to Arizona for the winters.
Gilda really enjoyed traveling—to Arizona for the winters, to visit friends in Germany several times, and on tours of Ireland, Italy, Australia and China. Most memorably, she drove the family from Cologne, Germany, through Switzerland into Italy as far south as Rome, and back again during a 10-week summer vacation in 1971.
She made many wonderful friends in her life with whom she enjoyed activities like skiing, playing bridge, traveling, watching Seahawks and Mariners games, and partying.
Gilda is survived by her children, Gail (Ernie) Yamane and Roger (Sandy) Bauer; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; bonus daughter, Darlene (Henri) Weeks; and many good friends, especially Nancy Turner and Judy Lundquist. She was preceded in death by her sister, Wanda, and her husband, Paul.
A celebration of Gilda’s life will be held Saturday, Oct. 25, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Centralia High School. In lieu of flowers, Gilda would have appreciated donations to her favorite charities, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
