Sidney "Sid" Allen Stolp's Obituary
Sidney Allen Stolp peacefully passed away on January 3, 2026, in Spanaway, Washington. He was 90 years old. Sidney was born on November 10, 1935, in Tacoma, Washington, to Alfred and Edith Stolp.
Sid spent his early childhood near Kapowsin, where, as a boy, he and his buddies would climb the truss bridge above the train tracks to "catch" the steam from logging trains hauling timber to Tacoma. He fondly remembered fishing at Twin Lake with his dad on a homemade raft made from logs they had tied together. When later asked if they wore life vests, Sid would laugh and say, “We never even knew they existed.”
In 1948, Sid’s family moved to Midland, where he became friends with a neighborhood boy named Ray Smith—who happened to have a sister named Patricia. She would become the love of his life for more than 77 years.
The family relocated again in 1952, settling in Spanaway. Around that time, Sid and four friends set out on an ambitious nearly 30-mile bicycle trip from Spanaway to Orting to see the damage caused by flooding on the Carbon River. The journey took hours and caused some concern at home, but his father reassured his mother, saying Sid would come home when he was hungry—and that is exactly what he did.
Sid joined the Naval Reserves, serving from 1953 to 1961. He graduated from Bethel High School in 1954, where he and a group of friends were known as the “Bethel Swabbies.” In typical Sid fashion, he once jokingly “willed” his sneaky method of skipping classes to his friend Dave Johnson, adding, “May he be as successful as I was.”
Sidney married Patricia Smith in 1957, and together they raised four children. Providing for his family was deeply important to him, and he did so with pride and dedication. Sid retired after 41 years of hard work at the St. Regis / Simpson paper mill in Tacoma. He was an incredible role model to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, demonstrating the values of loyalty, integrity, and love.
Sid is survived by his beloved wife, Patricia; his four children and their spouses: Loralei (Stolp) and John Ives-Keeler, Terrence and Suk Stolp, Lucy (Stolp) and James Rollins, and Jess and Cindy Stolp. He adored his eight grandchildren—Sarah, Kyle, Ian, Samuel, Ashley, Garrett, Samantha, and Jonathan—and his four great-grandchildren: Carter, River, Julian, and Ivy.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother; his half-sister, Phyllis Stolp; his half-brother, Chris Prindle; his sister, Merle (Stolp) Michaelson; and his brother, Rodney Stolp.
A memorial service will be held on January 22, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Mountain View Funeral Home in Lakewood, Washington.
Sid will be remembered for his strong work ethic and his deep love for his family.
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