Pearl Lorraine Stimac

 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

 Pearl Stimac passed away with her family by her side on March 12, 2024. She was 94 years old.

 Pearl was born on April 27th, 1929 to Ruby and Lawrence Meredith in La Junta, Colorado.  Pearl had an eventful childhood; she grew up with her four siblings (Kenneth, Wayne, James, and Thelma), moved all around Colorado, and did everything she set her mind to. She met her husband of 60 years–Anton Stimac–in Gunnison (married December 27th, 1947), and some years later, they settled down in Crested Butte, Colorado. Once they enjoyed everything Crested Butte had to offer, Pearl and Anton decided to move to Paonia, Colorado (where they lived for the rest of their lives) in 1963 to raise their two children–Patricia and Tony Stimac.

 For those who knew her, Pearl was a vibrant, lively woman. She loved to dance, play cards, wear her “pink,” and bake (known for her “GG” bread and potica), but most importantly, she loved spending time with her family and friends. She attended all of her children's and grandchildren’s school events, spent time at her daughter and son-in-law's cabin, and was always willing to help anyone in need. Known as the “candy lady,” Pearl walked down to the Paonia Nursing Home every day to deliver candy to the residents. The nursing home recognized these daily treks by awarding her “Volunteer of the Year” many years in a row, and the Paonia community later named her the Cherry Days “Citizen of the Year” in 2009. Pearl also volunteered a lot of her time to her church–Sacred Heart Catholic Church–by participating in multiple charitable organizations and helping plan funeral dinners. She also delivered senior citizen food to people in Paonia for years. 

 Pearl lived a fulfilling, selfless life, and built so many valuable connections through all her community involvement. She always enjoyed being around people, and her outgoing, compassionate nature made her a well-known figure in her family and the community. As the Delta County Independent noted in their 2009 Citizen of the Year article, Pearl “earned her halo.”

 Pearl is survived by her children Patricia (Mike) McMillan, Tony (Margaret) Stimac; grandchildren Amy (Brian) Collins, Stacey (Kent) Marsh, Justin (Angelique) McMillan, Jason McMillan, and Ian (Veronica) Stimac; great-grandchildren Conner Collins, Carson Collins, Toni Marsh, Luke Marsh, Drew Marsh, Emily McMillan, Chase McMillan, Liam McMillan, Lucy McMillan, Grace McMillan, Anton Stimac, and Odin Stimac. 

Pearl was preceded in death by her husband, Anton Stimac; her parents, Ruby and Lawrence Meredith; her four siblings; and her son-in-law Mike McMillan.

 Services will be held on April 20th, 2024 at 11:00 am at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Paonia, CO, followed by a graveside service at Riverside Cemetery in Hotchkiss, CO. A reception will follow at the Elks Lodge in Hotchkiss, CO.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hope West. 

 Arrangements are under the care and direction of Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory.

View the internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at taylorfuneralservice.com