William “Bill” Earl Stange

William Earl Stange, age 77, of Mitchell passed away Thursday, March 21, 2024. His memorial service will be held Friday, March 29 at 10:30 a.m. at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Mitchell, SD with Rev. John Hansen officiating. Interment will be held later at Union Cemetery. A memorial visitation will be Thursday, March 28 from 5-7 p.m. at Bittner Funeral Chapel in Mitchell, SD.

William “Bill” Earl Stange was born October 2, 1946, in Alpena, SD to Harry and Wilma (Speis) Stange. He attended Woodmansee Country School through the 8th grade and graduated from Lane High School in 1964. Growing up on the family farm, Billy worked with his siblings: milking cows, tending to the chickens, putting up hay with his sisters, and helping with countless other chores. He often told fond stories of working with his sisters and how tough he thought those girls were. He had a built-in best friend in his little brother, Bobby. Their friendship had highs and lows over the years, as all relationships do; but they stood the test of time, checking in with each other to “chew the fat” nearly every day until Bobby passed.

After high school, Bill enlisted in the US Army in the fall of 1964. He shared stories of being homesick when he first arrived in Germany. Eventually, he settled into Army life, making friends, and touring the area in a friend’s little three-man Volkswagen on their days off. They would throw in a sleeping bag and sleep on the ground next to the car in city parks at night all around Germany, France, and Spain. After his three-year tour, he returned home to start farming for himself. When the work was done, he and Bobby made time for a lot of fun and managed to get into a little bit of trouble along the way.

On September 18, 1976, he was united in marriage with Nancy (Baade) Stange. They made their home in rural Letcher, near Storla, for the next 38 years. They were blessed with three beautiful children, Laurie Ann, Gregory William, and Brian Harold. Bill and Nancy eventually retired off the farm and moved to Mitchell, SD in 2014. Farming was what Bill loved and he wanted to share his wisdom with his family. He was never one to shy away from a long day of work, continuing to help Greg with harvest, by driving the combine until 2021. He taught each of his children many aspects of farming: first feeding bottle calves, then looking after piglets and pigs, pulling calves, feeding cows, fixing fence, and spending endless hours in all kinds of farm machinery - with the result of instilling the value of working hard in each one of them. Over the years, he grew many crops: barley, wheat, corn, milo, sunflowers, and soybeans. He raised cattle and pigs and always enjoyed a good day at the sale barn. Sale barn days were a big deal, and he would often take Laurie, Greg, and Brian out of grade school to ride along to the sale barn.

Bill enjoyed spending time with his siblings, their spouses, and especially his nieces and nephews. He always found work on the farm his nephews could help with, made road trips to follow nieces and nephews’ sporting events, and even though he wasn’t a hunter himself, he looked forward to driving his nephews around during deer hunting season each year. In recent years Bill and Nancy took a few trips and shared many meals with Dick and Judy in Mount Vernon and Chamberlain where they caught up on the local chitchat.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Nancy; his three children: Laurie (Brian) Schaff of Spearfish, SD, Gregory (Sarah) Stange of Letcher, SD, Brian Stange of Plankinton, SD; grandchildren: Kalleigh, Emma, and Hazel; sisters: Phyllis Swenson, Woonsocket, SD, Lois Edwards, Letcher, SD, Judy (Dick) McQueen, White Lake, SD; sisters-inlaw: Jan Stange, Woonsocket, SD, Kay Stange, Sioux Falls, SD, Ann Stange, Woonsocket, SD; brother-in-law: Dennis (Kathi) Baade, Artesian, SD and numerous, cherished nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Wilma Stange; sisters: Joyce Bowar, Carol Morgan; brothers: Donald Stange, Bobby Stange, John Stange; brothers-in-law: Bill Bowar, Edward Swenson, Merle Edwards, Bill Morgan; nephew Jason Stange; and his in-laws: Rex and Edna Baade, Joan Schaff Kettlewell, Darold and Carolyn Brink.