Stanley Royce Dorsch was born June 13, 1935, on a farm six miles northeast of Bird City, Kansas. The youngest son of Viola Violet (Wolfe) Dorsch/Cole and Alfred Frederick Victor Dorsch, he was welcomed home by three siblings, LaVerne (Munyon), Keith Dorsch and JoAnn (Busse/Scott), all of whom (along with Bruce Cole) preceded Stanley in death. He left this earth on February 4, 2021 in Benkelman, Nebraska.

Stan grew up on that Kansas farm, just down the road from his Aunt Emma and Uncle Henry Hempler, where he was a frequent and beloved visitor. Stan's farm memories included not liking hogs or horses but enjoying helping his mom raise hundreds of chickens and cultivate an enormous garden. Stan followed her example by always planting a huge garden, as he was especially fond of homegrown tomatoes and asparagus.

Stan attended grade school and high school in Bird City, graduating from Bird City Rural High School with 12 classmates in 1953, including one especially smart and attractive girl, Delores Lillich. Stan attended the University of Nebraska after high school, graduating in 1958 with a degree in horticulture.

Stan was drafted into the US Army in 1958 and served active duty for two years, including a deployment in Germany. He started basic training at Ft. Carson, Colorado and finished at Ft. Riley, Kansas before heading overseas. His phenomenal typing skills took him away from the infantry and landed Stan in the medical office where he was in charge of records for the 26th Infantry and 544th Transportation Unit. After active service, he was a member of active reserves for two years and inactive reserves for two years, ending his military service in 1964. Stan did not like the "army" part of the Army, but he cherished the friends he made there, continuing regular correspondence, attending reunions, and enjoying lifelong friendships.

Even though she attended Wartburg College in Iowa, Stan kept his eye on Delores Lillich and decided that she was the girl for him. She accepted his proposal and they were married December 28, 1958. Dee left her teaching job in Colorado Springs and accompanied Stan to his army assignment in Germany, where they pursued an adventurous lifestyle touring Europe in their Volkswagen Beetle. Scrapbooks that Stan made feature photographs of the many beautiful castles, fountains, and gardens they visited.

The Dorsches returned to Kansas in early 1960 and began to farm and raise a family, including two sons and a daughter. Stan and Dee celebrated 60 years of marriage in 2018 and had a fun celebration in commemoration. Stan farmed and ranched near Bird City for nearly 40 years, retiring in 1999 whereupon he was happy to employ the talents of several young farmers by renting land to them. He loved his community and engaged in civic matters as a volunteer and leader during his lifetime in Bird City. Stan logged hundreds of volunteer hours with Bird City PRIDE, Cheylin schools, and the Tri-State Antique Engine and Thresher Show where he served as treasurer for many years. He volunteered at the Bird City Library and Community Club which hosts one of his favorite events, Santa Day. He happily represented Santa in person for several years. Stan served as an election judge and supervisor and on the board of the Bird City Century II Foundation. He helped celebrate Bird City by contributing leadership to the events of the 1985 Centennial and 2010 Quasquicentennial.

He enjoyed being an emcee for the Bird City Alumni banquet, and was a Sunday school teacher, Luther League sponsor and council member at St. John's Lutheran Church. For many years, Stan was part of the morning coffee gatherings in Bird City. He loved making daily rounds to the post office, grocery store, and senior center in his John Deere Gator. His proudest civic accomplishments were planning and completing the Bird City Park renovation and fundraising for and building the new Bird City Public Library without a tax levy in 2000.

Stan treasured visiting the library as a child and devoted countless hours to promoting, lobbying for, and volunteering in the Bird City library. The Kansas Library Association recognized Stan as Outstanding Trustee in 2003, as a member of the Northwest Kansas Library Board. The state association gave Stan a small plaque that occupied a prominent spot in his home with a poem by Piet Hein; it says, "Living is a thing you do now or never—which do you?" That was how Stan viewed life—live now!

Stan and Dee built their home on 6th Street in 1974, transforming land previously filled with junk piles and debris into a beautiful property landscaped with pine trees, iris gardens, and tomato plants. He loved planting trees and would carefully windshield monitor many groves and windbreaks he helped plant throughout Cheyenne County. When he was not volunteering, Stan and Dee were likely in their car on the way to a square dance, a meeting, a lecture or tour of the Santa Fe Trail Association, or taking friends to medical appointments in Denver or Fort Collins.

Stan and Dee took many road trips to visit family, army friends, and national parks and historic attractions. He loved to go places, talk to people, and talk about history, especially Kansas and western history. In addition to his vegetable garden and trees, Stan enjoyed growing grapes and making wine from grapes and wheat. He was an excellent cook and artist and mastered many crafts including quilting, ceramics, and woodworking. He took a woodworking class in Goodland before building their house and subsequently made most of the cabinets in their new home.

Together, Stan and Dee made baby quilts, patterned after his own baby quilt, for all their grandchildren. He loved to sing and to dance, and he enjoyed listening to classical and country music. If you spent much time talking with Stan, you probably have a list of books he encouraged you to read or maybe a list of movies on Netflix that he said you should watch. If you were lucky enough to play a game of cards with him, you likely learned that he counted cards, always knew who held trump, and that there was little chance you would beat him at pinochle.

As he aged, his game of choice became Rummikub and it was hard to beat him at that one, too. About three years ago, notable changes in Stan's mood, cognition and personality revealed a brain disease of dementia. The painful reality of needing care beyond what the family could provide was met by a gracious accommodation at the Sarah Ann Hester Home in Benkelman, Nebraska. We trust he is now with the Lord and will one day be restored to full health and a glorious new body when Jesus Christ, who redeemed Stan and welcomed him into his family as a child, returns to make all things new.

Stan will be missed by his family whom he loved. He treasured time with his grandchildren and cherished the memories he made with them when they visited Bird City where Stan planned elaborate treasure hunts, built them a tree house, taught them to play pinochle and to burn tumbleweeds and led them on expeditions exploring the Tri-State area.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Delores (Lillich) Dorsch, son Jeffrey (Sherri) Dorsch of Apple Valley, MN; son Scott (Dawn) Dorsch of Ft. Collins, CO; and daughter Jennifer (Scott) Erickson of Chanhassen, MN. Grandchildren are Daniel Dorsch, David Dorsch, Jonathan Dorsch, Joshua Dorsch, Austin Dorsch, Andrew Dorsch, Emily Erickson, and Anna Erickson. Other relatives include cousin Norman (Mary) Dorsch and many nieces and nephews.

Interment of cremains is August 19, 2021 at 10 am at the Bird City Cemetery. Memorial designations may be made to Bird City Public Library, The Tri-State Antique Engine and Thresher Association or St. John's Lutheran Church.