A funeral service for Stella Stahly, age 87, of Lake Park, will be held at 10:30 am, Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at Concordia Lutheran Church in Lake Park. Visitation will begin at 5 pm, Tuesday, October 8, 2024, with the family present from 5-7 pm, at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Lake Park. Interment will be at Union Cemetery in Harris.
Stella Mae Nelsen was born on a farm in Cass County, Iowa, on October 21, 1936, to Marvin and Lillie (Christensen) Nelsen. When she was a toddler, the family moved to Northwest Iowa and she was baptized in the Methodist Church in Ruthven, Iowa. Stella attended country school through the third grade and,when it closed, she attended Lake Center Consolidated where she graduated in 1955.
Stella worked as a secretary-bookkeeper at John Deere Implement Company in Spencer until she married Richard Stahly on November 15, 1957. In 1958, they moved to the family farm where they lived for 43 years and raised their three sons, Dennis, David and Douglas. Stella helped with the farm work when needed, walking and later riding to clean bean fields and hauling grain in the fall. The last few years on the farm, she did yard work, raking and mowing. There was always a big garden that produced summer food and fall canning.
Stella joined St. John Lutheran Church in Harris, and became an active member, holding various offices in the Ladies Aid. The youth of the churchwere a priority to her, serving for 25 consecutive years in one or more capacities as Sunday School Superintendent, Sunday School and Bible School Teacher, taught catechism when needed, until being disabled by West Nile Virus in 2003.
She had many interests. She belonged to the O’Sirrah Federated Women’s Club and served as secretary for the Harris Development Corp. She participated in basketball, softball, bowling and golf. She loved music, poetry, dancing and was an avid reader. Her greatest joy was the Lord and her family. She faithfully attended school and other events of her sons, grandchildren and was blessed to be able to attend events of great-grandchildren. Any time or event spent with family was “as good as it gets” to her.
In 2000, she and Dick built a house and moved to Lake Park, Iowa. When St. John Church closed, they joined Concordia Lutheran Church in Lake Park where she continued to be active.
Stella passed away October 4, 2024, at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake at 87 years of age. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Dick; one son, Dennis Stahly; her parents, Marvin and Lillie Nelsen; sister, Marjorie Hale; three brothers, Ronald, Harold and Leland Nelsen; one niece, one nephew and two great-nephews.
Left to remember their lives with her are her sons, David (Lori) Stahly of Lake Park and Douglas (Julie) Stahly of Lake Park; grandchildren, Sarah (Ryan) Carpenter, Lindsey (Nick) Haynes, Lacey (Adam) Reese-Hoogeterp, Lindsey Reese and Alexis Stahy and friend Austin Wassman; twelve great-grandchildren; one sister, Norma Dotson; brother, Danny (Mary) Nelsen; sister-in-law, Carol Nelsen; and several nieces and nephews.
Stella was blessed with love and mercy from her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Turner Jenness Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
