STEPHEN ALBRIGHT
1951-2020
Stephen Davis Albright, 69, died Thurs., March 12, 2020 in his home in Virginia Beach, VA. With him was his wife of 46 years, Karen Elizabeth Harris Albright, along with his airedoodle, Lola. He succumbed to the complications of amyloidosis and multiple myeloma.
Stephen was born in Altoona, Blair County, PA on Feb. 22, 1951 to Samuel Christian Albright Sr. and Thelma Louise Davis. He spent his early childhood in Altoona. In 1959 his family moved to Tucson, AZ and in 1960 to Fresno, CA. He graduated from Lone Star Elementary School in 1965, Sanger High School in 1969, and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 1973, earning a degree in Urban and Regional Planning. He worked his way up the career ladder in planning at the Fresno (CA) County Planning Dept., the Richmond (VA) City Planning Dept. and the Pueblo (CO) City Planning Dept. In 1983 he moved into economic development and was VP of the Pueblo Economic Development Corp. In 1985 he moved his family to Riverside, CA. He was President of Keep Riverside Ahead, The Economic Development Partnership, the Inland Empire Economic Partnership and the March Air Force Base Joint Powers Authority (part of a round of base realignments). While in Riverside he was the Governor’s Appointee to the South Coast Air Quality Management District where many difficult decisions were made about Southern California smog. In 2000 he made a complete career change and became the owner/innkeeper of The Old Town Bed and Breakfast Inn in Eureka, CA. He loved to cook and had many guests return just to have his chocolate pancakes. In 2008 he went “back to work” and became the City Manager for Trinidad, CA, and in 2011 was the Interim City Manager for Clearlake, CA.
Stephen was an accomplished hand-quilter. He quilted over 150 bed-sized quilts. He and Karen collected over 350 vintage quilts from all over the country. He loved to share and gave trunk shows to many quilt guilds in multiple states.
In 1974 he married Karen Elizabeth Harris at the Sanger Methodist Church, Sanger, CA. They met in elementary school when Karen was 10 years old. Steve was predeceased by his parents, his maternal grandparents, Howard Clayton and Bessie Viola Boltz Davis, his paternal grandparents, Charles William and Bertha Wray Lafferty Albright. He is survived by his brother, Samuel Christian Albright, Jr. (wife, Mary Harrigan); 2 children, Brian Harris Albright (wife, Melanie Crump) and Katherine Davis Albright Penge (husband, Theodore Penge); 2 grandsons, Army Specialist Jeremy Michael Albright and Jack Joseph Roulin, and one bonus granddaughter, Morgan Elizabeth Penge.
Stephen will be cremated and buried next to his Davis grandparents in Alto Reste Burial Park in Altoona, Pennsylvania. No services are planned. The National Cremation Society will handle the disposition of his cremains. The family would like to thank Sentara Hospice for the help with his care. For those who would like to donate in his memory, please consider your local PBS channel or your local SPCA.