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View this Videotribute Stanley C. Smith, 65, of 1187 Kester Road, Wisconsin Rapids, went to his eternal rest in the hour of Divine Mercy, Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008, in the Palliative Care Unit at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield after a long battle with COPD. Stan was the fourth child born to Arthur O. Smith and Mary (Pelot) Smith on Jan. 28, 1943 at Berlin. He married Kathleen Kandler in 1965 in Mt. Clemens, Mich. The marriage ended in divorce. He later married Beatrice (Klafka) Kester, daughter of Roman and Myrtle (Gukenberger) Klafka in Wood County. Stanley served in the U.S. Air Force from 1961 to 1964 with the 307th Air Refueling Squadron of the Strategic Air Command. Stan was a very talented mechanic and helped family with many repairs. He managed the automotive departments for Woolco Department Stores in Wisconsin Rapids and Dekalb, Ill. During the 1970s, he opened Lakeside Sporting Goods. Stan is survived by his wife, Beatrice, of Wisconsin Rapids; sons, Carlton (Marie) Smith and Kevin (Lynn) Kester, both of Wisconsin Rapids; grandchildren, Stacie Lawver, Jason Fry and Brandon Savage; two sisters, Rose Marie (Karl) Willmann of Fitchburg, Kathleen (John) Gronski of Wisconsin Rapids; one brother, Arthur (Sherry Roseman) Smith of Twinsburg, Ohio; and also five great-grandchildren. Stanley loved his many fishing trips to Canada and deer and turkey hunting. He was a member of the American Legion Post No. 9, Chapter 101 Vietnam Veterans of America and the Heart of Wisconsin Sportsmans Club. Pallbearers include Bernard Klafka, Dennis Fencil, Jerry Schneider and nephews. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church with Father Al Wierzba officiating. Burial will be in the Pioneer Cemetery in the town of Saratoga with full military rites by the American Legion Post No. 9. Visitation will be Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Higgins Funeral Home and Wednesday at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of service.
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