Stanley L. Stoner's Obituary
Stanley LaRoy Stoner, 76, of Dupo, Illinois, died at 6:05 am on July 20th, 2023. Stanley was born on April 17th, 1947 in Meade, KS, the son of Rev. Harvey and Lorena, nee Smith, Stoner.
Stanley attended public schools in Valentine, Nebraska; Lowell, Indiana; Tuscola, Illinois, and Columbia, Missouri. He graduated from Hickman High School in Columbia in 1965.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and after graduation, began his active duty with boot camp in San Diego. He served abroad the U.S.S. Sperry (AS-12) and also on the U.S.S. Harnett County (LST-821) on the rivers of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam in 1968-69.
Stanley was employed by Missouri Pacific and Union Pacific Railroad in the Dupo and St. Louis Terminals, then in Omaha, NE.
He joined the Navy Reserves in 1982 and served with the NSD Guam unit until 1990, when he transferred to NR Det 118 (JTRU), a new unit being formed to support U.S. Transportation Command at Scott AFB, IL. He was recalled to active duty for 1-year on September 8, 1990 in support of Operation DESERT STORM at U.S. Transportation Command.
After his release from active duty, he returned to Union Pacific Railroad and was assigned as a Customer Service Representative in St. Louis. During that time, he was involved with Lodge 512 of Transportation-Communications Union and, in addition to holding office, he was editor and publisher of the lodge newsletter, Train of Thought.
Stanley retired from the Navy Reserves in 2001, with 22 years of service, including 10 years in support of U.S. Transportation Command, and from Union Pacific Railroad in 2007, with over 35 years of service.
In 1970, he married the former Linda Sue Whitesides in Columbia, MO. This marriage ended in divorce in 1973 and he later married Ina Yolande Eads in Dupo, Illinois. They had two daughters and one son. Yolande preceded Stanley in death on March 14, 2014. On March 27th, 2015, Stanley was reunited in marriage with his first wife, Linda Sue, in Belleville, Illinois and she survives.
In addition to his wife, Linda, he is survived by two daughters; Vanessa (Bob Philips) Nolte of Belleville, IL., and Stacey Dixon-Prange (Lance) of Dupo, IL., one son, Eric (Sara) Stoner of Dupo, IL., two granddaughters; Brandi Nolte of Belleville, IL., and Jessica Dixon of Pittsburgh, PA., three grandsons; Brandon Nolte of Belleville, IL., and Jeffery and Jarrett Dixon of Dupo, IL., a sister, Janice (Lynn) Cunningham of Hillsboro, MO., a brother, Randy (Marcia) Stoner of Nashville, TN., a step-son, Roger Dean Stoner of Catlett, VA., a step-daughter, Michelle Rose, two step-grandsons; Aiden and Levi Rose of Webb City, MO., three nieces, aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives in addition to a special family friend, Julie Simmons.
In addition to his late wife, Yolande, he was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, two son-in-laws; Jeff Dixon and Bradley Nolte, and a niece, Elizabeth Cunningham Grant.
Among other past times, Stanley enjoyed playing golf with his friends, listening to his music collection, and traveling.
Visitation will be Wednesday, July 26th from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Leesman Funeral Home in Dupo. Services will be held Thursday, July 27th at 10:00 am with an hour of visitation beginning at 9:00 am at Leesman Funeral Home in Dupo with Jim Jarvis officiating. Interment will follow at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.
In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed to the America Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741 or the American Heart Association, PO Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692.
Arrangements were handled by Leesman Funeral Home.
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