Keith LaVerne Stanton

Keith L. Stanton age 82 of Tracy, MN died Saturday, March 22, 2008 at his home in Tracy. Services will be 10:30 AM Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Currie, MN. Visitation will be from 4:00 until 8:00 PM Monday, March 24, 2008 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Currie, with a rosary at 4:00 PM and a prayer service at 7:00 PM. Interment will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Currie immediately following the service. The Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy is handling the arrangements. Keith LaVerne Stanton was born November 9, 1925 to Henry Fleet and Sarah Kathryn (Tifft) Stanton in Huron, SD. He attended Huron Public Schools and Graduated from Huron High School in 1943. Keith then enlisted in the U. S. Navy and attended Signal School at the University of Chicago. He was assigned to Armed Guard Pacific and served aboard the SS Pampero and the AV Cape St. Elias. He received his honorable discharge, at the rank of Signalman 3rd Class, in March of 1946 and returned home. Keith then attended college, graduating from Valley City State Teachers College in 1950. He then taught school in Cave Junction, OR; Palmer, AK; Huron, SD and Tracy, MN. He taught in Tracy from 1957 until his retirement in June of 1990. On June 6, 1953 Keith married Lillian Jeanne Pommier at the St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Palmer, AK where they made their home until 1955, when they moved to Huron, SD and then Tracy. In 1961 the family moved to South Bend, IN for one year prior to returning to Tracy. Keith also did graduate studies at Colorado University, Mankato State College, Illinois Institute of Technology and Notre Dame University. Keith was a member of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tracy, serving over the years as president of the Holy Name Society, as a lector, CCD teacher, Eucharistic Minister to the nursing homes, and was a past member of the Knights of Columbus. He served two terms on the Tracy city council, was chairman of the Lyon County DFL for five years, and was a charter member of the Tracy Ambulance Service. He was also a Tax-Aide Consultant for several years, active in the Tracy Community Theatre, a member of the Tracy Kiwanis, Tracy American Legion, Tracy VFW, and the Sons of the American Revolution. Keith also was involved in education through many organizations, such as, both the National and Minnesota Councils for Teachers of Mathematics, both the National and Minnesota Education Association, the Southwest Minnesota Mathematics Teachers Association and the Tracy Education Association. On Saturday, March 22, 2008 Keith died, surrounded by his loving family, at his home in Tracy at the age of 82. Keith is survived by his wife, L. Jeanne Stanton of Tracy, MN; six daughters, Michelle Stanton of Rochester, MN, Toni Stanton and John Smetzer of Colorado Springs, CO, Brenda (John) Barnick of Shoreview, MN, Meredith (Eric) Vaselaar of Adrian, MN, Jamie (Daniel) Moloney of Eagan, MN and Heather (Paul) Patillo of Virginia Beach, VA; two sons, Conan (Monica) Stanton of Minnetonka, MN and Marshall (Dods) Stanton of Sugarland, TX; seventeen grandchildren, Jordan and Cody Smetzer, Adam and Jacob Strouf, Hannah Barden, Aaron and Isaac Stanton, Eldon, Samantha and Rona Vaselaar, Cassie Schwingle, Davin, Shaela and Kyla Moloney, Jordanna Espanola, and Dayne and Annika Patillo; three great grandchildren, Ethen Strouf, and Leilianna and Adeline Barden; one sister, Vivian Bristow of Canyon Country, CA; one brother, David Stanton of Pittsburgh, PA; nieces, nephews and a host of friends. His parents and one brother, Fleet Stanton, preceded him in death.