Stanley Whicker, 86
Stanley Whicker, age 86 of East Grand Forks, MN, passed away on Monday, August 20th, 2018 at the Altru Hospital Rehab Center.
Stanley Whicker was born in Minneapolis, MN on July 21, 1932, the 2nd son of Henry and Clara S. (Philips) Whicker. At the age of 5, the family moved to Grand Forks, ND. Growing up, Stanley attended Central High School and the Crookston AC. He left school after the 11th grade to join the United States Air Force and was sworn in at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas on the day after his 17th birthday. After basic training, he was transferred to Scott Air Force Base for training as a General Radio Repairman and was transferred to Haneda Air Force Base in Japan where he spent the next 31 months working on the communication equipment used in the Control Tower and Weather Station. He was promoted to the rank of Staff Sargent. Stanley left Japan in March of 1953, and after a 30 day furlough, he was transferred back to Scott Air Force Base for training as a Single Side Band Technician (One of eight in the entire Air Force). Stanley received an Honorable Discharge from the Air Force and returned home to care for his mother after his father had passed away.
In 1956 he met the love of his love, JoAnne Jackson. They were married on May 10, 1958. The next fall with the help of JoAnne’s dad, they started Stan’s TV, which later evolved into Stan’s Communications. Stan and JoAnne owned and operated Stan’s Communications until 2018. Their first daughter Terri Lynn was born on September 26, 1959 followed by their second daughter Tammy Jo on October 14, 1964.
In 1970, Stanley joined the Red River Masonic Lodge #292 in East Grand Forks and was initiated, passed and raised to a Master Mason. He served as Master of the Red River Lodge #292 in 1983. In 1981 he joined the Scottish Rite and Kem Shrine and in 2004 he joined the Malta Lodge #131 in Grand Forks. In 2000, the Kem Shrine asked if he and Larry Greenwood could start a Shrine Motorcycle Club. Together they started what is now known as Kem Cycle Corps. It’s size has increased to 35 members and is still active. Stanley was also an active member of the York Rite and many of its related organizations.
Stanley was a proud husband, father and grandfather and the family often joked that he needed new buttons sewn on his shirt because he was busting with pride in all of his children and grandchildren’s accomplishments.
Survivors include his loving wife JoAnne of 60 years; daughters, Terri (Tim) Horpedahl of Grand Forks, ND, Tammy (Edd) Goerger of Wyndmere, ND, and 3 grandchildren; David, Marie, and Samantha Goerger.
He is preceded in death by his parents; 2 brothers, William and Wallace and one sister, Mary Johnson.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to WDAY Honor Flight
Funeral Service: 10:30 AM on Friday, August 24, 2018 in Calvary Lutheran Church, 1405 South 9th St., Grand Forks, ND.
Visitation: 5:30 to 7:00 with a 6:30 PM Prayer Service followed by a Masonic Service on Thursday, August 23, 2018 in Calvary Lutheran Church, 1405 South 9th St. and also 1 Hour prior Funeral Service on Friday in Calvary Lutheran Church.
Interment: Memorial Park Cemetery ~ Grand Forks, ND
Online Guestbook: www.dandahlfuneralhome.com
Arrangements By: Dahl Funeral Home ~ East Grand Forks, Minnesota
