Clarence Stanley

Clarence Earl Stanley

Reverend Clarence Earl Stanley was born on September 3^rd, 1924 in the rural Mercer County, North Dakota farm home of his parents, Theodore and Martha (Clark) Stanley. He died at the age of 89 years on Monday, February 24^th 2014 at the Heart of America Care Center in Rugby, North Dakota.

Clarence’s elementary years were spent at a country school near his home. His desire for further education led him to attend Hazen High School. While he attended high school, he worked at the local drug store to pay for his room and board until he graduated. In September of 1943, he came to know Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour and felt the Lord calling him to preach the Gospel. He was inducted into the United States Army in July of 1944. While in basic training, Clarence was injured during an ammunition explosion causing a hearing impairment which led to a Honorable Medical discharge in January of 1945.

On August 14^th, 1946, he was united in marriage to Melva Karges of Stanton, North Dakota. Following his marriage and while raising a family, Clarence ministered to the congregations of McClusky and Goodrich, then furthered his ministerial education graduating from Hillcrest Christian College at Medicine Hat, Alberta, Westmar College in Lemars, Iowa and the Naperville Evangelical Theological Seminary in Naperville, Illinois. Following ordination into the Evangelical United Brethren Church in 1955, he was assigned to the North Dakota Conference where he served the congregations of Drake, Balfour, Anamoose, Upham, Bantry, Elgin and Zoar over the years. In the summer of 1974, he began a new ministry at Crossroads Range, a Christian family retreat center located in the Turtle Mountains. In 1987, the couple moved to Rugby, North Dakota where he ministered to several congregations in the area including, Emmanuel United Church in Rugby, Presbyterian Church of Towner, Leeds Evangelical Lutheran and North Prairie Church, and if not enough to do, he served as the Chaplain for the Heart of America Medical Center and Haaland Estates, both in Rugby. His love of the Lord and his great love and concern for people continued long after his 62 years of official ministry. Some of his other ministries included leading the United Methodist Trail Rides in the Badlands, youth camps, overseeing the building of a handicapped accessible home for a family. Although he was busy with his ministry, he found time to use his artistic skills, enjoying his hobbies of woodworking, gardening, designing jewelry, ceramics, fishing, horse back riding, bird watching, writing and telling children’s stories, playing with the grandchildren, writing to and visiting friends and family. Melva died March 8^th, 2010.

He is survived by his children, Leonard Stanley, his daughter Cindy (Brian) Dakken, their 3 children; Sharon (Jim) Canfield, their son Andrew, his 2 children, their son Adam; Eugene (Ruth) Stanley, their children, Lisa (Clayton) Birkland, their 2 children, Michael (Kayla), their 2 children, Jennifer (Wesly) Loughman, their 2 children; Alice Abrahamson, her children, Christopher (Melissa), their 3 children, Aaron (Amanda), their 5 children, Amanda (Derek) DePauw, their 2 children; nieces, nephews; other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Melva; siblings, Roy Stanley, Gay Stanley, and Donna Reinhardt; his son-in-law, Gary Abrahamson; and his parents.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 5^th, 2014 at the Calvary Evangelical Free Church, Rugby. Pastor Jason Wood and Rev. Nathan Steen, officiating.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 4^th at the Anderson Funeral Home in Rugby with a time of prayer and sharing of memories beginning at 7:00 p.m. Reviewal will continue for one hour prior to the time of services at the church on Wednesday.

Posted Condolences:

We are so sorry to hear of your Father's passing. I am sure he and Melva are together in heaven. We were always happy to see your Father and enjoyed his Christmas Letters. Please know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers.
Chuck & Mary Notbohm

Deepest sympathy for the lost of your father. Memories of he and your mother run deep. Your Dad helped me fill in some blanks about my mother when she passed away. I was/am so grateful. Your Dad and Mom have kept in touch with Jay and me for a few years. That has meant a great deal to me. Our last letter from him was just this past January 27th--a few short weeks ago. Your Dad was an encouraging person. Loved his smile. We will surely miss hearing from him. You are so blessed to have a loving, caring father such as he. Remembering all of you at this time.
Jay and Jeanne Schmidtgal Hochstetler

Our sympathy to the Stanley family. Pastor Stanley was a very caring person. He pastored to several members of our family in LTC in Rugby. He will be missed.
Bob & Gwen Green

I got to know Clarance as a patient when I worked in the Audiology department at the Fargo VA. I enjoyed helping Clarance with his hearing problems. I also enjoyed the conversations we had while helping him. He was a special person and I know he will be missed by everyone that knew him. I will always remember him as a friend and a person that cared about everyone.
Ron Johnson

So sorry to hear of your dad's passing. He was at Lehr Church Camp and we had a great time there. We played hide and go seek and no one could find him. Finally he gave up and came out from under the back seat of the bus. I can still hear him laughing that he had tricked all of us smart teenagers. He was a great pastor with a lot of love for the Lord and cared for everyone.
Mary Jean Iszler

So Long Stanley. It was good to work with you on different occasions. See you soon.
Wayne McKirdy.

I was sorry to hear of Clarence's death. We were fellow pastors in the Dakotas Conference, and I enjoyed visiting wit him. Grace and Peace to his family.
Janet R. Miller

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire family.I have known your Mom and Dad for many years and they were both such a blessing in my life. Your Dad always had such good, positive advice about any subject and truely enlightened me on various occasions.He was such an inspiration for me and my family.He will be dearly missed but I know he is residing now with Melva and also my loved ones who are in Heaven. I know I will be seeing him again one day!
Barb and Jim Higginbotham

Another of the great men of the church has gone Home to be with God! I have so many good memories of Pastor Stanley... especially at Lake Metigoshe where we would go every year to either help build something ( in the early days) or to go to relax in later years. Plus, all the weeks he spent in our home while doing fall revival weeks in different towns we lived in around ND. What a joy to know that he is Home with the God who made him and loves him face to face.
Debora Dockter Gunsch

I'm deeply sorry to hear about Clarence's passing. We visited him in late August or early September before leaving for our home in Arizona. Bernice and I have been life-long friends, Bernice have gotten to know Melva early in her life.
We pray for his family and other relatives during these days when they mourn his passing and as they give thanks to the Lord for his ministry.
Sincerely, Ted (and) Bernice Rath - 1823 East Augusta Avenue, Chandler, Arizona 85249

Clarence is well remembered when I attended Emmanuel United Church in Rugby and he also provided comfort to my family when my husband passed away in 2004. He a great loss to the community as well as his family.
Doris Leftwich

Friend and Partner in ministry: Be at peace, now and forever.
Boyd & Evelyn Blumer

We will always remember the times spent with Clarence and Melva. They introduced us to trail ride and the many friends we found there.
Ralph and Harriet Sjursen

Paster Stanley was and always will be fondly remembered by all my family! He was a real inspiration to me! I remember. one time your Dad and I were talking and I confided in him
Vicky Hansen

Please accept my sincere condoences and heartfelt prayers to Clarence's family. Clarence touched the lives of so many and will be remembered for his love and kindnesses. Clarence will always be remembered by my family for his care for all of us, especially at the death of my husband Buck at a young age. I can just see the reunion of Melva and Clarence at heaven's door. I loved them both...
Shirley E. Boom

Just now finding out about the passing of Clarence. What fond memories I have of your parents and the time I spent at Cross Roads Range. I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you and I will treasure my memories of them both and the time I spent with them and thru out the years.
Gladdie Miller

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