Earl Reece Stadtman was born in 1919, the fourth of six children. Earl's father was a life insurance salesman in Carrizozo, a small town in New Mexico. He had settled there after coming from Kansas as an engineer for a geological survey project.
When Earl was ten, the family moved to San Bernardino, California. During his high school years, Earl became interested in debating and represented his school as leader of the debating team. "Earl—You will someday, no doubt, be a great orator and statesman," wrote one of his classmates. Indeed, Earl learned the virtues of logical analysis, efficient communication, and leadership, all of which he employed during his career as a scientist.
