Rufus Emmons Stanton

Rufus Stanton, age 96, of Lacey, Michigan, passed away on 11 December 2024 at his home where he was also born on 12 January 1928. He was the son of the late Charles and Grace, nee Norman, Stanton. Rufus attended the Dunham one-room school in Maple Grove Township, then went on to Hastings Central. On 25 September 1949, he married the love of his life, Mary, nee Martin and were together for 59 years, until her death 7 October 2008. For most of that time they lived on the family farm in Assyria Township, raising a daughter, Chris and a son, David. He worked at the Battle Creek Box Company for several years, but he loved farming, which is what he did most of his life, starting at a young age. He semi-retired when he was 50 years old, spending winters in Sebastian, Florida with Mary, and next door to his brother and sister-in-law on the Indian River. Many nights you could find him on the Sebastian River with a lantern and spear - looking for the elusive flounder. He would pick up bushels of walnuts at the farm and take them to Florida with him, the family joking "he was down there cracking his nuts".
His passion was fishing and playing games with his family. The family spent numerous summer vacations at Round Lake near Lake City, along with extended family and neighbors, traveled to Canada to fish (most of the time going over the limit, hiding them frozen in coolers under the bed in their travel trailer).
At the age of 80, he traveled to Costa Rica with first Chris and Joe, then Chris and Cassie and finally with just Chris, seeing a live volcano close-up and getting house bound by an unexpected cloud forest fog.
Rufus and Mary traveled to a Stanton family reunion in Connecticut with their David and Stephanie, and then drove to Nova Scotia's Bay of Fundy to see the Tidal Bore that occurs twice daily, but somehow didn't cooperate for them. They were, to say the least, a bit disappointed, but still had a wonderful trip.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Mary; brothers Roy and Sidney, sisters Helen Cheeseman, Annabelle Wolff, and Louise Harris. Rufus, and his wicked sense of humor, wealth of knowledge and advice, will be greatly missed by Chris (Joe) Lukasiewicz, David (Stephanie) Stanton; grandchildren Justin (Jill) Norton, Cassie (Mike Neufeld) Norton, Timothy Stanton, many great-grandchildren and step grandchildren Dr. Becky (Jim) Curnalia, Genny Lukasiewicz, Marie Yepez, James Yepez, Dani Nanninga, Tomas Yepez, and several step great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers or cards, please make a donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or the charity of your choice.
Services provided by Girrbach Funeral Home, Hastings, Michigan.