Stanley V. Vorba, 90

Published 10:52 am Thursday, March 29, 2012

Stanley V. Vorba, 90, of Albert Lea, Minn., died Wednesday, March 28, 2012, at ThorneCrest Retirement Community where he had resided for the past year.

Stanley V. Vorba

Stan was born on July 29, 1921, near Gladbrook, Iowa, the son of Albert and Libby (Konicek) Vorba. He attended grade school in Vining, Iowa and then graduated from Clutier High School in 1939. Stan was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942, and transferred to the Air Force for pilots training in 1943. During World War II he served as an Air Force pilot in France and England, hauling troops and supplies. After VE Day, he was stationed in Brazil for six months, receiving his honorable discharge in March of 1946. He retired as Major from the Airforce Reserve in 1977.

When Stan returned from active duty in 1946, he attended Gates Business College in Waterloo, Iowa. Stan married Mary Lou Tucker and to this union daughter Pamela was born. They were later divorced. Stan began his working career as office manager for Gamble Robinson in Waterloo and was later transferred to Austin, Minn. It was in Austin that he met Lois Amundson, and they were married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hayfield, Minn. on July 14, 1957. On Jan. 16, 1956, he began working for the accounting department at Wilson & Co. in Albert Lea from which he retired on Feb. 28, 1984.

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Stan and Lois had lived in Austin until 1959, when they made Albert Lea their home. It was there daughter Sara was born.

He was a member of the American Legion, the Retired Officers Association, Trinity Lutheran Church, and was a charter member and past president and secretary of the Kiwanis Golden K II Club in Albert Lea.

Stan was a very devoted man to his country, his work, and his family, serving as caretaker for his wife Lois until she died in 1997.

Stan is survived by two daughters, Sara and her husband Larry Gerlach of Austin and Pamela and her husband Robert Bechill of Lodi, Calif.; two grandsons, Daniel and Bradley Gerlach of Austin; brother Marvin Vorba and his wife Nadine of Tulsa, Okla.; sister-in-law Marjorie Tvedt of Rochester, Minn.; and two nieces and two nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Lois, sister Verna Mae and her husband Marvin Hartwig, niece Wendy (Hartwig) Zumalt and brothers-in-law: Everett Tvedt and John Amundson.

The Funeral Service for Stan will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 31, 2012, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. The Reverend Curtis Zieske will officiate. Interment will be in Hillcrest Cemetery. Military Honors will be accorded by Albert Lea Veteran’s Organizations. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday at Bonnerup Funeral Service, Albert Lea, and one hour before the service at the church.