Conley Stanage

Conley Stanage, age 89, of Yankton, South Dakota, died on Monday, May 11, 2020 at his home surrounded by his family. A private family memorial service will be at 10:30 AM, on Saturday, May 16, 2020 at Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with Vicar Mary Hendricks Wilkens officiating. The service will be live streamed on Conley’s obituary page at www.wintzrayfuneralhome.com. Inurnment will be in the Vangen Cemetery in Mission Hill, South Dakota with military honors performed by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post No. 791 of Yankton and US Air Force Honor Guard. A public gathering of family and friends is from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, on Friday, May 15, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton. Pallbearers are Matt Larson, Adam Larson, Jake Stanage, Sam Stanage, Ryan Stanage, and Nichole Swan Conley was born February 18, 1931 in Yankton, South Dakota to Franklin and Clara (Johnson) Stanage. He grew up on a farm north of Mission Hill and was baptized and confirmed at the Congregational Church in Mission Hill, SD. Conley attended his freshman year at Yankton High School and then graduated from Gayville High School in 1949. He worked on the construction of Gavin’s Point Dam and enlisted in the US Air Force in September 1950. Conley served during the Korean War and was honorably discharged in April 1954. He married Dolores McCabe on December 18, 1954. Conley attended South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD and graduated from the School of Pharmacy in 1959. They moved to Yankton and Conley began his pharmacist career working for Rexall Drug. He semi-retired at age 62 and worked part time for Rexall Drug and then for Yankton Medical Clinic Pharmacy, fully retiring at age 81. Dolores died on June 25, 1994 and Conley later married Dorothy Goldhorn on October 14, 1995. Conley was proud of his country and was an active member at the VFW Post in Yankton. He enjoyed playing bingo there and would also call bingo every Wednesday night. Conley was also an active member of the Gayville American Legion, Yankton Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge and Vangen Lutheran Church. He enjoyed camping, golfing, bowling and watching baseball, especially his favorite team, the Minnesota Twins. He loved his grandchildren and great grandchildren and enjoyed attending their sporting events. Conley was kind hearted, quiet, soft spoken and always willing to help anyone in need. He will be greatly missed. Conley is survived by his wife, Dorothy Stanage of Yankton; four children: Val (Doug) Larson of Yankton, Don Stanage of Mission Hill, Craig Stanage of Yankton, and Mike (Kelli) Stanage of Yankton; two step daughters, Lisa (Colin) Varilek of Yankton and Amy Anderson (Jimmy Johnson) of Yankton; 13 grandchildren: Matt Larson, Adam (Chelsea) Larson, Abby (Jon) Sprecher, Sara (Cole) Blom, Ryan (Rachel) Stanage, Jake (Jill) Stanage, Kati Stanage (Jesse Jensen), Sam (Darlene) Stanage, Nichole (Joe) Swan, Jennifer (Brett) McConnell, Erin (Rob) Schramm, Brianna Anderson (Phil Wiebelhaus), and Michaela (Caleb) Lammers; 24 great grandchildren; sister, Lola DeJong of Yankton; and sisters-in-law, Kathy Stanage of Hurley, SD and Linda Storgaard of Yankton; and many nieces and nephews. Conley was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Dolores; daughter-in-law, Rita Stanage; and two brothers, Willis and John Stanage. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Vangen Lutheran Church, 300 W. 3rd St., Mission Hill, SD 57046 or the VFW Post No. 791, 209 Cedar St., Yankton, SD 57078. A live stream of the memorial service will be posted below approximately 5 minutes before the service.

MEMORIAL SERVICE:

[embed]https://youtu.be/mHg7gd3oEh4[/embed]  

VIDEO TRIBUTE: