Stanley R. Lillich (Stan) died of cancer on his 84th birthday on Sunday, April 12th after a six-day stay at Oakwood Village Health & Rehabilitation Center at Prairie Ridge where he was well cared for by family and staff. His death claimed a temporary victory. Our Lord’s promise is “the last enemy to be destroyed is death.” Thanks be to God that His victory over death and the grave will also be ours, through faith in Him.
Stanley R. Lillich was born on April 12, 1942, in Benkelman, NE to the Reverend Adolph and Clara Lillich. He was baptized by his father at birth and was later confirmed by his father at Zion Lutheran Church in Creighton, NE in June 1956. Leaving behind a childhood that he recalled fondly throughout his life, Stan attended Wartburg College in Iowa for his freshman year of college in 1960 and then transferred to St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota to complete his studies. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in social psychology in 1964. That same year he enrolled at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, OH to pursue theological studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1968; replaced later by a Master of Divinity degree in 1972.
Early in his studies at the seminary, on January 17, 1964, an elementary school teacher by the name of Janice (Jan) Marie Koehring, caught Stan’s eye at a local ice-skating rink. Stan summoned his nerve and approached her on the ice. A wonderful courtship followed (often described by Stan in letters during those years as “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”) and they were married on June 18,1966 and enjoyed 59 years of a blessed partnership. Three months after their wedding, they moved to Victoria, TX where Stan had his internship year at First English Lutheran Church and Jan taught fourth grade in the Victoria public school system. Stan was ordained into Christian ministry on June 30, 1968.
Following their time in Texas, Stan served four different parishes in Iowa over a 26-year period. His first call was to the two-point parish of Trinity Lutheran in Norway and First Lutheran in Conroy (1968 – 1973). He then served the following congregations: St. John’s Lutheran Church in Guttenberg (1973 – 1980), the two-point parish of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Perry and St. Paul’s American Lutheran Church in Bouton (1980 – 1987), and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Des Moines (1987 – 1992). While Stan was serving parishes in Iowa, they had two sons, Timothy and Jeremy.
In 1993, Stan answered the call to chaplaincy at Woodside Lutheran Homes in Green Bay, WI where he served for thirteen years. In retirement, Stan was designated Chaplain Emeritus by the Wisconsin Chaplaincy Association and he and Jan were active in working with the Alzheimer’s Association. After retirement, Stan and Jan continued to make their home in Green Bay, wintering for several years in Florida, and traveling throughout the country whenever possible. In June 2019, they moved to Oakwood Village at Prairie Ridge in Madison, WI where they made many friends. Stan was preceded in death by his beloved wife Jan in September 2025, his sister-in-law, Phyllis K. Hein, and his parents Clara and Adolph. Surviving Stan are his sons, Timothy and Jeremy Lillich; his nephew, David Hein (Dr. Sam Watson) and their sons Elijah and Noah; his nephew, Andrew Hein (Jennifer Plaster) and their children Austin Hegge, and Parker and Grace Hein; and his niece, Jennette J.M. (née Hein) (Jarad) Parker, and their children Cadence, Jamison, and Colbie.
All obituary information has been taken from the funeral home, newspaper or other online resource.
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