Elvin ” Al” Pobanz Obituary (2016)

This is a memorial for Elvin "Al" Pobanz, as we mourn his passing and celebrate his life. This is a memorial for Elvin "Al" Pobanz, as we mourn his passing and celebrate his life. Al was born and raised on a farm in Illinois, which gave him his lifelong values of integrity, hard work, devotion to family, and faith. When the war came, he enlisted in the Merchant Marines and later graduated from Kings Point with a degree in engineering. He met the love of his life, Jane, on a blind date in New York when he was finishing the academy, but soon he was shipped out to sea, serving on various Liberty ships as the First Engineer. While he was away, they wrote love letters, lots of love letters, and he came to see her on leave when he could. When he returned after the war, they made plans, and got married in 1946. They were very fortunate to have each other for the next 72 years, and remained very much in love, being virtually inseparable for the last 30 years. Jane loves to share that they were dancers, and they enjoyed all kinds of dancing, even as the passing time eventually brought about knee surgeries, then canes, then walkers, they still danced through life together. He worked for Exxon for thirty plus years, starting in Rockefeller Plaza as a draftsman in New York City, and eventually becoming the superintendent for all the terminals in Upstate New York. Al and Jane had three children; Danny, Nancy, and Terry which he adored. He also loved boating, and found a great way to enjoy both at the same time. When other fathers went out with their buddies fishing leaving the family at home, Al made sure that his whole family was involved in the boating experience. Al built his first boat in his garage with his family and his best friend Bob. A few years and a few boats later, the whole family would go on trips on weekends and summers in his cabin cruiser, the Bailiwick. Everyone had their job and Al made sure that everyone did their job, making sure his children had the same values of integrity, hard work and devotion that he had learned as a kid. In the spring, the family would all work on the boat in the back yard, sanding, painting, and preparing it for the next season. This was some spectacle for the neighbors who would always be stopping by to see what the Pobanzs were up to next. This lead to many close friendships which lasted more than 50 years. On one boating trip, it had been a beautiful day, crystalline clear skies, and they had been having success catching fish in the Long Island Sound. After arriving in port, they all took a walk on the beach, searching for sand clams locals raved about to add to their dinner. Al stopped walking and picked up a piece of driftwood. First he drew five stick figures; a daddy, a mommy, a boy, and two girls, then drew a big heart around them, and under it, "the Pobanz family". It was a moment of pure happiness, a moment in time that later you would have said "it doesnt get any better than this". A memory that seemed to resonate over the years, keeping the family close and keeping them safe. Of course there were ups and downs along the way, but never anything that couldnt be overcome. Tragedy didnt strike until years later, when his son Danny died of a brain tumor at age 53. This was a sadness that remained with him the rest of his life. Al was very proud of his accomplishments in the business world, but when he got the opportunity for early retirement, jumped on the chance to spend more time with his family. After several more years of shoveling snow in Syracuse, Al and Jane decide to live every New Yorkers retirement dream and moved to Florida. They went to the beach, biked, and swam in their caged-in pool every afternoon. Even then, the call for family was too much and Al and Jane moved to Texas to be closer to Terry and her husband Michael. After selling his prized possession, the Bailiwick II, a beautiful 32 foot yacht, Al became more interested in gardening, especially roses. He would work in the garden every day for hours. He created such an oasis, beautiful and tranquil, that a family of mallard ducks spent a season there and raised their little family. One day, Jane couldnt find Al in the house or the yard, so she drove down the street looking for him. There was Al, walking down the street with a broom, gently coaxing the ducks down the sidewalk through the neighborhood to the nearby pond where they would be safe. From Texas, the four of them, Al and Jane, Terry and Michael, moved to the friendly small town atmosphere of Russellville where Al and Jane settled into the River Valley Assisted Living facility. It was initially difficult for him to adjust to assisted living, he missed having his own house and independence, but they came to know it as home and were happy to have made new friends. What made it even better was his other daughter Nancy and her husband Chuck moved close by about a year later. The family was back together again. With Terry and Nancy close by, it was now possible for them to resume their tradition of attending church together. Al was a Christian and had a strong faith in God. He was very active in the church in earlier years, singing baritone in the choir and serving as a deacon and elder. He attended the First United Methodist Church of Russellville faithfully every Sunday that health allowed. Always the gentleman to the end, he would still insist on holding doors for everyone even when he was barely able to stand without a walker. Al passed from this world on April 15, 2016 at the age of 92 and is survived by Jane, his wife of 72 years, daughter Terry Huie and her husband Michael, daughter Nancy Bell and her husband Chuck, 4 grandchildren, step grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Al was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Viola, his sister Lorraine (Dolly), son Daniel and his grandson David. The family is comforted in the knowledge that Al has reunited with Danny and his other loved ones in Heaven, and know they will be together again one day. Services provided by Rosewood Cremation and Funeral, Conway, Ar