Gregory August Stanke, 48

Gregory August Stanke, loving husband, treasured father and Papa, son, brother and friend, passed away September 11, 2018 in West Fargo, North Dakota.

He was born September 10th, 1970 in New Prague, Minnesota to Duane and Betty (Novotny) Stanke.  He grew up in New Prague, Minnesota with his siblings Kari (Shabir) Awan, Robert (Elena) Stanke, Scott (Deb) Stanke.

 Greg played football throughout High School until graduating in 1989.  He went on to play in college and graduated in 1994 from Minnesota State University Moorhead, with his Bachelors degree in Exercise Science.

Greg met Shannan (Pfeilschiefter) in college.  They were married November 26, 1993 in New Prague, Minnesota.  They were blessed with three beautiful daughters: Sam (Dustin) Bishop, Camryn Stanke, and Grace Stanke.  Greg encouraged his daughters to chase their wildest dreams, and he loved them more than life itself.  In 2017 he received the grand title of “Papa” with the birth of Charlie Ruth Bishop (daughter of Dustin and Sam).   She had the “Big man” wrapped around her little finger the moment she arrived.

Greg was known for working hard and playing harder!  As a teenager, he worked at McDonalds and proudly bought a 1981 Trans Am.  In college, he was a baggage handler at Frontier Airlines and a piano technician and mover at Lindemann Piano, though he never played a note.  Greg's work ethic and education made him into a businessman in 1998 when he launched A to Z Moving, inc.  He enjoyed watching it grow and made many friendly acquaintances of his repeat customers and employees.

Greg was not one to be idle, he was active in Heartland Community Church, Wild Rice Peace Makers, Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association, Fort Ransom Arena Association and always the official horse handler/coach/one-man cheering squad to his daughters’ horse events.

Greg loved his horse EZ and his dog Tuff.  He enjoyed raising hunting dogs, and in the fall you would find him and Tuff in western ND hunting pheasants with friends.  He enjoyed being involved in Men’s Ministry, and organizing shooting events for the group. Greg and EZ competed in Cowboy Mounted Shooting the past few years.  His enthusiasm and love for the sport were contagious, and he began putting on clinics for beginners and doing demonstrations. He was always a capable gate man at barrel races and rodeos and was always ready to lend a hand to not only his daughters but other competitors.  He was the ultimate “Rodeo Queen Dad” doing whatever was needed to make his daughters smile.

Greg was larger than life and everyone's rock:  kind, willing to lend a hand, generous and adventurous.   He had a fun sense of humor and he shared his enthusiasm, and God’s love with everyone around him.  He was known as the “Big Man” with cutting edge hair, and style all his own. He was notoriously known for wearing Zubaz pants before, during and after it was cool, and doing the “Running Man” Dance at weddings.

Greg will be painfully missed by his wife, daughters, family, friends, horses and dogs.

Funeral services will be held at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds Schollander Pavilion in West Fargo, ND at 2pm, Tuesday, September 18, 2018.  All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the Greg Stanke Benefit fund at Gate City Bank, in Fargo. 

Arrangements entrusted to the care of Boulger Funeral Home & Celebration of Life Center, Fargo. Online guestbook at www.boulgerfuneralhome.com.

Gregory August Stanke, loving husband, treasured father and Papa, son, brother and friend, passed away September 11, 2018 in West Fargo, North Dakota.

He was born September 10th, 1970 in New Prague, Minnesota to Duane and Betty (Novotny) Stanke.  He grew up in New Prague, Minnesota with his siblings Kari (Shabir) Awan, Robert (Elena) Stanke, Scott (Deb) Stanke.

 Greg played football throughout High School until graduating in 1989.  He went on to play in college and graduated in 1994 from Minnesota State University Moorhead, with his Bachelors degree in Exercise Science.

Greg met Shannan (Pfeilschiefter) in college.  They were married November 26, 1993 in New Prague, Minnesota.  They were blessed with three beautiful daughters: Sam (Dustin) Bishop, Camryn Stanke, and Grace Stanke.  Greg encouraged his daughters to chase their wildest dreams, and he loved them more than life itself.  In 2017 he received the grand title of “Papa” with the birth of Charlie Ruth Bishop (daughter of Dustin and Sam).   She had the “Big man” wrapped around her little finger the moment she arrived.

Greg was known for working hard and playing harder!  As a teenager, he worked at McDonalds and proudly bought a 1981 Trans Am.  In college, he was a baggage handler at Frontier Airlines and a piano technician and mover at Lindemann Piano, though he never played a note.  Greg's work ethic and education made him into a businessman in 1998 when he launched A to Z Moving, inc.  He enjoyed watching it grow and made many friendly acquaintances of his repeat customers and employees.

Greg was not one to be idle, he was active in Heartland Community Church, Wild Rice Peace Makers, Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association, Fort Ransom Arena Association and always the official horse handler/coach/one-man cheering squad to his daughters’ horse events.

Greg loved his horse EZ and his dog Tuff.  He enjoyed raising hunting dogs, and in the fall you would find him and Tuff in western ND hunting pheasants with friends.  He enjoyed being involved in Men’s Ministry, and organizing shooting events for the group. Greg and EZ competed in Cowboy Mounted Shooting the past few years.  His enthusiasm and love for the sport were contagious, and he began putting on clinics for beginners and doing demonstrations. He was always a capable gate man at barrel races and rodeos and was always ready to lend a hand to not only his daughters but other competitors.  He was the ultimate “Rodeo Queen Dad” doing whatever was needed to make his daughters smile.

Greg was larger than life and everyone's rock:  kind, willing to lend a hand, generous and adventurous.   He had a fun sense of humor and he shared his enthusiasm, and God’s love with everyone around him.  He was known as the “Big Man” with cutting edge hair, and style all his own. He was notoriously known for wearing Zubaz pants before, during and after it was cool, and doing the “Running Man” Dance at weddings.

Greg will be painfully missed by his wife, daughters, family, friends, horses and dogs.

Funeral services will be held at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds Schollander Pavilion in West Fargo, ND at 2pm, Tuesday, September 18, 2018.  All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the Greg Stanke Memorial fund at Gate City Bank, in Fargo. 

Arrangements entrusted to the care of Boulger Funeral Home & Celebration of Life Center, Fargo. Online guestbook at www.boulgerfuneralhome.com.