Stanley (Stan) Earl Vangen

Father and grandfather, friend and neighbor, Stanley Earl Vangen, peacefully passed away Feb. 14, 2024, at his second home in Sun Lakes, Ariz. His long-time canine companion, Candy, was by his side until the very end and made sure that he made it safely to his final destination in the skies above. Stan was 83 years old.

Born Oct. 21, 1940, in Grand Coulee, Wash., Stan grew up in West Seattle after the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam. He cherished time with his cousins Larry and Bud, as well as with his younger brothers, Allan and Dean. 

Soon after high school, Stan joined the U.S. Navy and was deployed overseas — he was a proud veteran and served his country with honor.  

Upon returning home, Stan married Shirlee Peterson. Together, they raised two sons, Tom and Phil. 

In 1974, Stan met his second wife, Nancy (Bowers) Vangen, and embraced his role as a stepfather to her 4-year-old son, Jonathan. Stan enjoyed taking his sons on camping trips, to ball games and visits with relatives. They owned property at Crescent Bar near Quincy and would make regular trips to sun, golf and enjoy the Columbia River. Eventually, they left their West Seattle home and ventured east to Ephrata where they took a chance at owning and operating a motel. The motel venture was short-lived, but they remained in Central Washington and made careers at Lamb Weston, Inc. (LWI) in Quincy. Stan worked at LWI for many years and created long-lasting friendships with his peers. 

After retiring from LWI, Stan managed the airport storage facility in Moses Lake alongside his wife, Nancy. For several years, they oversaw the facility, capitalizing on expired units to sell contents, store their Fifth Wheeler and golf cart(s), and connect with new people (which he loved). 

As a grandfather, Stan was very proud of his four grandchildren. Although he couldn’t see them as often as he wanted to, he would speak of them often and proudly recite their accomplishments. Cheers to Nick, Conrad, Josiah and Vanessa.  I hope they knew how much he loved them. 

Stan and Nancy were seasoned movers within Central Washington, residing in Ephrata, Moses Lake, Soap Lake, Wenatchee, Quincy and Crescent Bar. Their enduring marriage spanned over 40 years until Nancy’s passing in 2019.

Throughout this time, Stan maintained his friendships with his best mates from Seattle. The bond between Stan, Tom and Jim was undeniable. They enjoyed their boys’ weekends away from their spouses where they fished, camped, and shared life stories. Jim stayed in touch with Stan until the end. 

Following his wife’s death, Stan discovered Arizona as a winter haven. It afforded him time with his cousins (Larry, Sharon and Lois) and it was a place with unlimited outdoor adventures and golf courses. It is also the place where he met Barbara Marx (AKA Bobbi Jo). In the last two years of Stan’s life, Bobbi Jo and Stan became very close and spent quality time together. In fact, they bought a home in Sun Lakes and were hopeful that his cancer diagnosis would remain stable. Bobbi helped Stan with his health and was there for him at the end. This was very appreciated by Stan’s family. 

Stan is preceded in death by his parents, Ralph Vangen and Hazel (Munson) Vangen, by his brothers, Allan and Dean, and by his wife, Nancy.  

Stan is survived by his three sons, Tom (Davis) Vangen, Philip (Leticia) Vangen and John (Sam) Bowers, all of whom reside in Washington state. He is also survived by his four grandchildren.  A Celebration of Life will take place Saturday, March 16 at 1:30 p.m., at the First Church of the Nazarene in Moses Lake.  

Stan’s legacy lives on through his family and the memories they shared.

To share your own memory of Stan, you can go online at https://bit.ly/SVANGEN.