Stanley John Blasey

Stanley J. Blasey, 87, died on Monday, November 13, 2023, at the Minnewaska Lutheran Home in Starbuck. Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 19, 2023, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Benson, and will continue on Monday, November 20, 2023, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am.  Interment will be held at the West Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery. Memorial can be donated to the Minnewaska Lutheran Home or to Moments Hospice. Zniewski Funeral Home of Benson is assisting the family with the arrangements.

To view a livestream of the funeral mass click on the link for St. Francis Catholic Church YouTube Page, www.youtube.com/@saintfrancisbensonmn2945

On a fall October day in 1936, Stanley John Blasey was born, an only child, to proud parents Orville and Mary (Wagner) Blasey in Borup, Minnesota. Stanley grew up in Ada, Minnesota, and was active in 4-H, basketball, and Debate, graduating from Ada High School in 1954. He continued his education at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, Minnesota, and was an alumnus of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity.

In the spring and summer of 1958, Stan went hitchhiking through northern Europe. In Sweden he went to visit Jan Rockler, who studied in the Ag Department at the University of Minnesota with Stan. At Jan’s wedding in July of 1958, Stan met the love of his life Marianne Rockler, and he stayed in Sweden until June 1959. He learned Swedish and went to Upsala University with Marianne. During this time, Stan embraced Marianne’s Swedish family as his own. They became engaged in January 1959, and were married August 29 of that same year at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Ada, Minnesota. They became the proud parents of three children: Charlotte, Bruce, and Elizabeth.

Stan held a variety of jobs throughout his life. He farmed for a while in Ada, Minnesota. He worked for Cargill Seed around Dodge Center, Minnesota. He was a loan officer at a bank in Morris, Minnesota, before becoming a Vice President at a bank in Eden Valley, Minnesota. Stan owned and operated the Coast-to-Coast hardware store in Benson, Minnesota, for about twenty years, opening the store in 1973. He then worked for the City of Benson and Crow River Industries in Brooten, Minnesota.

Stan and Marianne lived in Benson while their children were in school and while operating the Coast-to-Coast store. They then moved to a home on Lake Scandi where he enjoyed everything about living on a lake – going for walks, fishing, swimming in the lake from early spring to late fall, and bird watching. Stan moved to an assisted living apartment in January 2017 and into Minnewaska Lutheran Home in March 2023.

Stan was a “Jack of all trades.” He enjoyed hunting, fishing, bowling, playing cards, swimming, traveling, woodworking, restoring old trunks, and genealogy – tracing his family history back to the 1500s. He also loved attending his children’s and grandchildren’s events.

Stan is survived by his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren: Charlotte (John) Rustad of Clontarf, MN, Andrew (Jennifer) Rustad, Nolan and Bennett, and Anna-Lisa Rustad, Ivy and Ella; Bruce (Brenda) Blasey of Duluth, MN, Rick (Kimber) Flaherty and Corey, Michael Flaherty, Bob (Bethany) Blasey, Shaun (Katelyn) Blasey, Maceo Blasey, Christopher Blasey, Adrien Blasey, Isaiah Raschke, James Peterson, and Annabell Peterson; Elizabeth (Pete) Spates of Mitchell, SD, Hannah (Robbie) Miiller and Riley, and Emily (Levi) Olson.

Stan was preceded in death by his wife Marianne Blasey, his grandson Matthew Spates, and his parents Orville and Mary Blasey.

Blessed be his memory.