Stan Warner

Dr. Stanley A. Warner passed away on Dec. 25, 2024, at the age of 101 years old.

He was born on March 24, 1923, in Elkhart to the late Lotta Hopson and Alvin Warner. He graduated from Elkhart High School in 1942. An interesting side note: Stan was EHS's first Student Council President and elected Most Valuable Player his senior year in football as a quarterback.

Stan initially went to Purdue University to pursue an engineering degree, but with the start of World War II, he enlisted. He was selected for the Army Specialized Training Program in the ROTC college program. During WWII, Stan was attached to an Engineer Combat Group before being moved into Luxembourg near the Saar River for combat duty under General Patton's Third Army. The battalion was eventually moved into Germany. As a squad leader for the Combat Engineers, they were involved in maintaining and repairing roads, clearing mines, building Bailey bridges across the Rhine, and guarding SS POWs.

Toward the end of his European commission in February of 1946, Stan married Betty Denlinger from Wakarusa. After his military service, he enrolled at Hanover College where he completed his pre-medical credits and played football under the guidance of Coach Don Veller. He then went on to the Northern Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, graduating in 1949 as an optometrist.

In 1953, Stan went into practice with Dr. Higgason on Main Street, eventually moving next to the Lerner Theater. He bought the practice and remained there until he retired in 1984.

Stan was a past president of the Elkhart Rotary and was proud to have a record 33 years of perfect attendance. An avid sailor upon retiring, Stan spent seven years living on a sailboat that harbored on the southeast coast from South Carolina to Florida.

Stan is survived by his three children from his marriage with Betty: daughter Jacquelyn (Erik Vandemeulebroecke) of Eichhoffen, France, son Jeff (Deb) Warner of Elkhart, and daughter Jenni Warner (Doug) Brown of Edina, Minnesota. He is also survived by his adopted children: Doug (Barb) Warner of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Kim (Marinus) Storm of Jacksonville, Florida, the children of his former wife Peg Warner.

Stan had four grandchildren: Sara (Tyler) Springer, Goshen; Katie Warner, Elkhart; Sidney Brown, Bloomington Minnesota; Tate Brown, Chicago, Illinois; and two step-grandchildren: Adam (Mackenzie) Storm and Drew Storm, both of Jacksonville, Florida. Additionally, he has multiple great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his brother Gerald Warner, his sister Esther Warner Stroop, and his first wife and dear friend Betty Denlinger Kaehr.

Stan followed Jesus. He fought the good fight. He finished the race and not only kept the faith but openly shared the good news of Jesus.

The family would like to thank everyone at Brentwood Assisted Living in Elkhart where Stan spent over 13 years in their care, as well as Traditions Hospice for his end-of-life care.

Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home, 1531 Cobblestone Blvd., Elkhart, IN 46514, is assisting the Warner family. Online condolences may be made to Stan's family at www.stemm lawsonpeterson.com. Stan will be laid to rest at a private ceremony at Rice Cemetery in Elkhart, Indiana.