Stanley Jeffers

The service for Stan has been postponed until further notice. We will update this website page when another day has been established. Thank you for your consideration and understanding. Stanley H. Jeffers, age 94, of Decorah, IA, died Friday, February 21, 2020 at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah. Memorial Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 2, 2020 at Decorah Lutheran Church. Inurnment will be in Lutheran Cemetery in Decorah with Military Honors. Visitation begins on Saturday May 2 at 10:00 a.m., one hour before the service, at Decorah Lutheran Church. Stanley Hardison Jeffers was born in Portland, OR on September 12, 1925, the son of Wilson Stanley Hayes Jeffers and Leona May Hardison. Stan graduated from John Rogers High School, Spokane, WA in January 1944, and went immediately into the U.S. Army to serve in World War II. His military training started in Radio Communications, and then prior to D-Day, he was transferred to Demolitions. He received a purple heart, in addition to several military accommodations, while serving with the 303rd Combat Engineers of the 78 Division, European Theater. He recuperated and rejoined his division before the war was over and joined the clean-up of the Auschwitz Jewish genocide concentration camp. A favorite quote of his was: “I HAVE HAD ENOUGH WAR FOR THE BOTH OF YOU”. After the war, Stan returned to academia and earned his B.A. Degree in Education from Washington State University and Eastern Washington University, graduating in 1950. He began teaching in the Central Valley (Spokane) School District. In 1957 he graduated with a Master’s Degree in Education and worked in Central Valley for 14 more years as an Elementary School Principal. On August 29, 1946 Stan married Carolyn Lou Curtis of Spokane. They were blessed with three children: Jill, Paul and David. In 1966 Stan was elected President-Elect and then President of the 63.000 member Washington Education Association. At the end of his term in 1968 he became Executive Director of the Edmonds (WA) Education Association. Four years later he was appointed Director of Field Services for the WEA. As a Field Service Director, he first developed teacher training programs, and later was assigned to organize bargaining units. He finished out his 18-year carrier doing grievances and arbitrations for school personnel in trouble. Stan married Frances Marian Womeldorf on March 29, 1975 in Riverton Heights, WA, and his family grew to include his new stepchildren Marian Elizabeth Solheim Harding, Margit Elaine Hunt and Charles (Linda) Solheim; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. In Sep 1985, Stan retired from his career, yet continued for several additional years conducting Pre-Retirement workshops for school employees. In 1991 Stan and Fran moved to Decorah, IA, where he lived out the remainder of his life. He became a vital part of the community and instilled his passion for history, community service, and education into everyone he met. During his time in Decorah, he helped prepare income tax returns for the elderly, served 3 years on Decorah Lutheran Church Council, and was a founding member of the Decorah Genealogy Association where he spent 5 years as the president. The military records room has been dedicated in his honor. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Frances on June 28, 2019; his stepdaughter Marian Harding on July 23, 2005; and by two step granddaughters, Serenity Harding and Rachel Hunt. Stan is survived by his three children: Jill (Steve) Gross of Kalama, WA, Paul (Keiko) of Olympia, WA and David (Joellen) of Spokane, WA; three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; two stepchildren Margit Hunt of Charlotte, NC and Charles (Linda) Solheim of Shelton, WA; four step grandchildren; and three step great-grandchildren. Stan lived a full and rewarding life. He touched and made a positive impact on many and he will be dearly missed. We all rejoice in his reunion with his father in heaven. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Decorah Public Library, 202 Winnebago Street, Decorah, IA 52101 or Aase Haugen Senior Services, 4 Ohio Street, Decorah, IA 52101.