Jerry E. Stanke died at the family home in Nampa on the morning of July 10, 2012. He was born in Grandview, Idaho on January 13, 1920, the son of homesteaders from Wisconsin. When he started school at age four, he rode his horse to the little schoolhouse where the children helped with the daily tasks. He graduated from high school at age fifteen and then spent some time on the family farm. He left Grandview to attend business college, and after receiving his diploma he worked for a short time at the R&V Oil Company, where he operated the new Burroughs bookkeeping machine. He left when he enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II. He quickly earned the rank of Master Sergeant in the 103rd Evacuation Hospital, attached to the Third Army in Europe. When he went overseas, prior to D-Day, he was stationed in Northern Ireland, where he met and later married his wife Muriel, a British schoolteacher. After D-Day, his unit entered the European conflict, and he saw service in Belgium, France and Germany. During his war service in Europe he often was in the area where General George Patton visited the hospital, and he also met the great crooner Bing Crosby when he performed at a concert in the area and came to the hospital to ask for directions. He was discharged in December, 1945, after serving for three years, and returned to his home in Nampa. He soon joined Honstead Motor Company as office manager and later became a partner in the business. He retired in December 1985. Jerry was a life-long student, and loved to learn new things. He earned an accounting degree from LaSalle University School of Accounting, and was a member of the International Accountants Society. He also studied German and Spanish languages and literature. During his lifetime, he and Muriel traveled frequently to the United Kingdom, Canada, and the southern states, and the Oregon coast. Jerry had many interests. He loved music, and in his younger days he played trumpet in a dance band led by the late Merrill Tonning of Boise. He loved music all his life. He was also a keen chess player, and entered and won many tournaments in Idaho and nearby states. He was also a historian. He was a charter member and served as president of the Owyhee County Historical Society, and became editor of the Societys magazine, the Owyhee Outpost, to which he contributed several articles. The current edition of the magazine is dedicated to his service as editor. Above all, Jerry loved his family and was a dedicated husband and father. "He was loved with such love, and with such sorrow mourned". Jerry is survived by his wife of almost sixty-seven years at the family home, and by his four children; Pat (Les) Boyd of Pomeroy, Washington; Joan (Jay) Minier of Palm Harbor, Florida; Barbara (Al) Whittington of Moultrie, Georgia, and Bill (Julie) Stanke of Moscow, Idaho, and by numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. Jerry will be laid to rest in the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery at a private family service. Services are under the direction of the Nampa Funeral Home, Yraguen Chapel.

Service Information Private Committal