Stanley James Lang, 91, formerly of Dickinson, died on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at Seton Medical Center, Austin, Texas.
Stanley James Lang was born July 10, 1929 in Jamestown, ND to August and Kathryn (Schroeder) Lang. Stan was the youngest of 3 children, having 2 older sisters, and graduated from Jamestown HS in 1947. He was in the Army for 2 years, working as an admissions clerk while stationed in Texas. He was honorably discharged on October 13, 1955. He then attended Valley City State receiving a BA degree in social studies. While attending college, Stan met Phyllis Meske and they were married June 21, 1957 in Valley City, ND. They had a son and daughter who died at birth from congenital abnormalities. In 1962 they adopted a daughter, Naomi. She died in 1992 of complications from diabetes.
Stan’s first job as a teacher was in Windsor, ND teaching elementary school. They then moved to Grand Forks where he taught at Central High School from 1958-1967. While living in Grand Forks, Stan obtained his master’s degree in education from UND. After spending 1 year in Pierre, SD as a Media Consultant specialist for Central Education, he became the Director of Instructional Media Services for the Vancouver School district in Vancouver and Longview, WA. He later became the regional manager for Coronet/MTI films and video for the pacific northwest and did that job until he retired in 1992. He also was an adjunct professor in education for Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA from 1969-1980. Those who knew Stan can imagine him going from school to school selling educational videos and loving every minute of it. Phyllis often accompanied him on his journeys.
In 1992, Stan and Phyllis retired and moved to Dickinson to be closer to family. They lived across the street from the high school and Stan continued to be a substitute teacher for several more years. They enjoyed travelling and spending winter months in Marble Falls, TX. Stanley was very proud of his garden and had the best looking yard on the street. He also was quite the golfer and could be found at Army’s almost every Friday night for bingo. What he was most known for, though, was his music. He sang lead with the Silver Sage quartet for many years, played banjo with the Elks sodbusters, and sang with almost any organization that would let him. He had a beautiful baritone voice and loved to perform. He was a lifetime member of BPOE- Elks lodge, and the sodbusters band. He was also a member of Peace Lutheran Church. After Phyllis died, Stanley moved to the Kingsland, TX area and lived there for the last 10 years. He would be the first to say that he had a good life and was ready to move on.
He is survived by 2 nieces, Lonna Milburn (Mike), and Brenda Tachenko (Ervin Lantz) and their children; brother and sister-in-law Marvin Meske and Marlene Miller; and special friends Duane and Marge Gulbranson and their children. He was preceded in death by his wife Phyllis in 2010, children Michael, Barbara, and Naomi, sisters Estelle Tachenko (Lonnie), and Lorraine Wolff, his parents, and brother and sister-in-law Mark Meske and Ardeth Smith.
Entombment for Stanley will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, January 21, 2021 at the Dickinson Mausoleum next to his wife Phyllis.
