Obituary of Stanley Ray Woods

Stanley Ray Woods, age 62, of Tabor, SD passed away Friday, April 12, 2013 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, after a courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services will be 11:00 AM, Monday, April 15, 2013 at St. John's Lutheran Church, Yankton, with Rev. Dave Gunderson and Rev. Steve Weispfennig officiating. Burial will be in the ZCBJ Cemetery, Tabor, SD at approximately 1:15 PM, Monday afternoon. Visitations will begin at 5:00 PM, Sunday, at the Opsahl-Kostel Memorial Chapel, Tabor, SD with a Scripture service at 7:00 PM. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. Pallbearers will be Ryan Woods, Michael Woods, Josh Vesely, Cory Nettinga, Shane Hovorka, and Gary Sestak. Stanley (Stan) Ray Woods was born October 4, 1950 in Bloomfield, IA to Avon Eugene and Phyllis (Seiler) Woods. In 1951 the family moved to South Dakota, living briefly in Volin before residing in Vermillion. Stan graduated from Vermillion High School in 1968 and from Southern State College-Springfield with an Associate's Degree in 1970. Stan met the love of his life in Springfield, Shirley (Ruman), and was married on February 11, 1972 at the Tyndall Methodist Church. They resided Vermillion for the first year of marriage before moving to Tabor, SD in 1973 where they lived for the past 40+ years and raised their two sons, Todd and Trevor. Stan was an automotive technician his entire life, starting as a small boy with his dad. When Stan & Shirley moved to Tabor he worked for Alfred Souhrada in his gas station and shop. Stan later bought the business and ran it as Stan's 66. When Tabor's grocery store closed Stan & Shirley decided the town needed a store so they remodeled the gas station into a small grocery store until they sold the business in 1991. Stan managed the Tabor Coop for several years, worked at Groseth Motor's becoming a certified automotive technician and later was the shop manager, he then moved to Yankton Motor Company as a technician, and finally ended up back working at the Tabor Coop. Stan was a mechanic by trade but he truly was a farmer at heart. Stan and Shirley bought a small farm in 1983 outside of Tabor where he raised hogs and cattle while also running the gas station. Stan raised Simmental cattle that his two sons showed at 4-H, winning numerous awards at the county and state level. Later in life, Stan's passion was his grandchildren and cherished everyday with them. He loved watching all their activities from sports to music to reading books to them and being showered with kisses and hugs from them. Stan was preceded in death by his parents, Avon Eugene & Phyllis Woods, his mother and father-in-law Robert and Irene Ruman. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Shirley, sons Todd and wife Joleen, Trevor and his wife Amanda, and grandchildren Savannah, Isiah, Lucas, Olivia, and Alexis. Also survived by his brother Dennis (Dawn) Woods, Aberdeen, SD and sister Cheri Coulson, Vermillion, SD.