OBITUARY: Paul Rhodes Stabler, of Browns department store

August 30,1939 to March 23, 2020

Paul Rhodes Stabler was a stalwart of the Browns department stores family – and was buried carrying a bag from his beloved store.

He was the great grandson of Henry Rhodes Brown, store founder and former Lord Mayor of York twice-over.

Paul was born on August 30, 1939 – two days before the declaration of the Second World War and died the day of lockdown, March 23.

He leaves a widow, Bridie, daughter Angela, grandchildren Tom, Jack, Chloe and Lauren, and five great grandsons.

Daughter Angela Horner, an an associate director at Browns and one of the founders of York Fashion Week, said: "For someone so humble and unassuming he made a dramatic entrance, and as it turned out a dramatic exit – passing away on the same day as lockdown and the temporary closure of Browns department stores."

Browns reopened in June.

Dedicated to his job

Picture shows Paul with his daughter Angela

Paul was the eldest son of Jack Stabler (former managing director of York engineering firm Shepee) and Margaret (Peggy) Stabler (nee Brown). He had a sister Julia and a younger brother John Stabler.

As a school boy, he helped Mr Wrightsons with his fruit and veg round in York and on leaving school aged 16 started his career at Browns.

He began his working life on furniture, but his retail career was put on hold in 1957 when he went to complete his National Service in the Army Catering Corps.

Angela said: "This stood him in good stead, he taught me to cook and we used to enjoy cooking Christmas lunch together with a sherry. There was an interesting year when I introduced elderflower martinis into the equation and so that year was known as the tipsy Christmas dinner year!"

When he resumed his career at Browns, he wore several hats over the years, including buyer for the linen and hardware departments, helping with the logistical running of the store from shop fits and deliveries to overseeing new departments such as the Teahouse. He also looked after all the physical side of running the stores.

Eventually, he became retail operations director for the Browns stores in York and Helmsley. He retired at the age of 70 with a lovely party in Rhodes restaurant at the York store attended by colleagues and family.

Family man

Paul with his wife and daughter at the opening of the Browns store in Beverley

He married Bridie in 1968 having met her at a dance in Leeds. She was training to be a nurse at Killingbeck Hospital.

Besides his family, his big passion was for the store. Angela said: "He loved Browns. As a child, I remember talk of a man who had run off with another woman and I remember my mum saying: 'I don’t need to worry, my husband’s other woman is a shop!'

"It's true. It was his passion and he knew the York store inside out. Even after he retired, staff would ring him to find out where particular switches or pipes were!

"I have fond memories as a child of going to a mill with him in Knaresborough in the van to pick up towels and enjoy an ice-cream by the river. He also used to take me in to do sale preparation when Browns used to close on a Wednesday afternoon.

"In those days we had a toy department and one day I was playing in the window with the toys. Two horrified tourists called the police to report a young child locked in a department store. My Dad was very bemused to find me waving from the window to a crowd and a policeman trying to communicate with me!"

A love of York and Yorkshire

Paul Rhodes Stabler, who has died at the age of 80

Angela said as well as Browns, he had a keen interest in politics and a love of Yorkshire – especially the Dales where he latterly owned a house in Leyburn. His true love was York, which he knew almost as well as the store itself.

Unfortunately, in 2015 he developed Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia and lost his battle with the disease on March 23 this year.

Angela said: "It’s so ironic he should die on the day of the lockdown when Browns closed its doors.

"We were heartbroken to lose him, he was such a lovely, kind man and a lovely Dad.

"Despite his quiet demeanour, he had a wicked sense of humour and was quite the charmer too!

"When he died, the overwhelming comments described him as a real gentleman – and I think that sums him up very well.”

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, restrictions were in place governing his funeral. A small graveside burial was held with only eight in attendance plus family friend and retired priest Canon Michael Ryan.

Angela said: "Very fittingly he was sent off holding a Browns carrier bag – Dad was in charge of ordering them in his time at Browns and the family joke was he always carried things round in one declaring 'You can’t beat a bit of free advertising'."

She added that a memorial send off was planned for 2021. "As soon as it is safe to hold one."

She said: "There will be a chance for those who could not attend his funeral to come and remember him. We will have pork pies, red wine and a bit of Jim Reeves playing – some of his favourites!”

Angela recently completed the Jog for Dementia in May and raised more than £1,700 for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Read our news story about Mr Stabler by clicking here.