Jim Stauffer, a co-founder of the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, died on Oct. 21—less than three months after one of the nonprofit’s other co-founders passed away. He was 76 years old.
Lyn Stauffer, Jim’s wife, said their family is heartbroken over losing him but has so many happy memories.
“Our family is grateful for the outpouring of community support for Jim including the many caring messages from the Pacific Marine Mammal and So Cal beach lifeguard families,” she wrote in an email. “Jim was a great man and he made the world a better place.”
In 1971, a young girl tugged on Stauffer’s T-shirt while he was lifeguarding in Newport Beach and pointed to a Pacific Harbor Seal pup that washed up on the sand and appeared sick.
With no other solutions available at the time, Stauffer put the seal in his jeep, but it jumped out. Concern for the young pinniped led him to check back later—and it was still there.
He took the seal to Dover Shores Animal Hospital where Veterinarian Rod La Shell, determined that the animal had lungworms. Following La Shell’s advice, Stauffer nursed the seal back to health before returning it to the ocean.
Stuffer then installed several kiddie pools in the backyard of his Costa Mesa home to help additional rescued seals and sea lions in need. His efforts captured the attention of Veterinarian Rose Ekeberg and then Laguna Beach High School teacher John Cunningham. The PMMC’s predecessor, Friends of the Sea Lion, was subsequently established and has rescued pinnipeds from Orange County beaches for 50 years.
Recognizing a need, the Department of Fish and Game issued the first permit of its kind in California. Stauffer was allowed to temporarily house seals and sea lions at his home. In 1976, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals relocated from the Laguna Canyon barn and city leaders offered the site to Pacific Marine Mammal Center.
“Jim’s dedicated work, passion, and love of seals and sea lions is carried out every single day at PMMC. Jim stayed in touch with PMMC over the years… his enthusiasm for PMMC never waned,” the nonprofit said in a statement Thursday.
Stauffer had been living in Petaluma, Calif., and licensed as a real estate broker since 1990, according to state records. Stauffer is survived by his wife Lynn, daughter Natalie Stauffer-Olsen, sons Clark and Weston Stauffer, and grandson Torbjorn Stauffer-Olsen.
There is a bronze-coated mural at the Art Hotel in Laguna Beach that depicts Stauffer. It is not far from Seal Rock where he released his first rescued pup.
Cunningham, 82, died on July 26 after hitting his head in a bad fall, his wife Stephanie told the Independent. Hundreds attended a Sept. 18 paddle-out at Picnic Beach to celebrate Cunningham’s life.
Stephanie Cunningham was looking forward to sitting next to Stauffers at the PMMC’s 50th Anniversary Gala on Nov. 7.
“[Jim] was the dreamer and John would be the one who got things done,” Cunningham said, adding the two men also bonded over lifeguarding.
She recalled driving over to Stauffer’s home with a bucket of fish to feed recovering sea lions but found an empty backyard. At least three sea lions escaped and were found walking down a Costa Mesa street by an animal control officer.
Later in life, Stauffer pitched Cunningham on getting the PMMC involved in reintroducing sea otters to the Orange County coastline. Cunningham reminded him of the staff’s full workload.
“Even though he lived out of town he always checked in on the program and was so enthusiastic,” Stephanie Cunningham said.
Sharon Stello contributed reporting to this story.
As a thoughtful and inspired member of our Newport Harbor High School class of 1963, Jim will be missed by all. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Jim’s wife and family.