Kenneth James Stasch

Kenneth James Stasch, 84, passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on Friday, February 11, 2022, at Wayne Memorial Hospital.

Ken was born in Valentine, Nebraska to the late Jake and Marcella Stasch.  He spent his early years in Nenzel, Nebraska where he fought a courageous battle with polio at a young age, spending more than a year in the hospital.  He later graduated from Cody High School in 1955 and continued his education at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree and later, a Master’s Degree.  Ken was a dedicated educator.  He loved teaching and devoted his life to his students and their success.  After college, he began a career with the Douglas Public School System where he taught at Douglas High School for many years before being promoted to Superintendent of Schools.  Later in his career, Ken’s love of the classroom brought him back to the students and he began teaching Math at Goodrich Middle School in Lincoln, from which he would retire in 1998.  After retirement, when he wasn’t entertaining his grandchildren whom he dearly loved, Ken spent countless hours researching family genealogy and had traced his family lineage back to the 1500s. He was a member of St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in Lincoln, Nebraska for over forty-five years and was also a member of the Nebraska Educators Association and the Retired Educators Lunch Group.  After moving to Georgia in 2016, he joined St. Francis Xavier Parish in Brunswick.  Ken loved working crossword and sudoku puzzles, playing cards, and taught all of his grandchildren to play chess.  He also collected coins and stamps and was a devoted Husker fan.  Ken enjoyed traveling and took many cherished trips with family and dear friends.  In addition to his parents, his uncle, Paul A. Stasch, his two brothers-in-law, Robert Schneider and Ron White and nephew, Joshua Stasch, preceded him in death.

Survivors include his wife of fifty-seven years, Kathy Stasch of Brunswick, Georgia; two daughters and sons-in-law, Amy and Rich McCrary of Brunswick, Georgia and Sally and Paul Carney of Lincoln, Nebraska; grandchildren, Kayleigh, Riley, Jack, Cameron, and Sean; siblings, Eugene Stasch and wife, Kathi of Visalia, California, Shirley Schneider and husband, Frank Faubion of Cody, Nebraska, Mary Jo Dorie and husband, Larry of Los Altos, California, Theresa Loyd and husband, William of Virginia Beach, Virginia and Paul Stasch of Lincoln, Nebraska; brother-in-law, William White and wife, Sharon of Milford, Nebraska and sisters-in-law,  JoAnn Rademacher and husband, Earl of Kearney, Nebraska and Mary Anne White of Vienna, Virginia.  Survivors also include nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, and several close friends.

Cremation has taken place. The Rosary will be held on Friday, March 18, at 7:00 pm at Butherus, Maser & Love Funeral Home at 4040 “A” Street, Lincoln, NE 68510. Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, March 19, at 10:00 am at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church at 7601 Vine Street, Lincoln, NE 68505, with luncheon to follow. Internment will follow at St. Martin’s Cemetery in Douglas, NE. Memorials may be given to March of Dimes or the family for a charitable donation to be made in Ken’s memory at a later date. 

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