Obituary of Stanton Earl Kroon

Stan Kroon, age 91, died peacefully at his home on December 19, 2024. He was born in Sioux Center, Iowa to John and Wilhelmina Kroon, the youngest of nine siblings all of whom proceeded him in death. He grew up and was educated in Sioux Center and went on to earn both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education at the University of South Dakota. In between years at college, he served in the US Army in the Far East during the Korean Conflict. Later, while on sabbatical, he earned his Doctorate in Education from the University of Montana.

He is survived by his wife of sixty six years, Marjorie Bartels, also of Northwest Iowa; son Jon of Bloomington, MN; daughter Leah and son-in-law Martin Walz of Seattle, WA.

His life was devoted to public education as the principal of high schools in Marshall and Owatonna, MN. In 1985 he was honored by his peers by being selected Principal of the Year for Excellence in Education.

He had a lifelong love of the great outdoors, especially northern Minnesota where he fished and the Rocky Mountain West where many happy family adventures took place. He enjoyed music and sang in several church choirs and male choruses. He spent a good part of his leisure time in fine woodworking, producing small furniture and decorative objects. In the last few years of his life, he took up his long time interest in watercolor painting. He was creative, curious, and lived a life of service. He utilized his carpentry skills on many Habitat for Humanity projects. More recently, he volunteered at the Open Door Food Shelf. He and Marj travelled extensively during his retirement.

He was an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Services will be held Thursday, January 9 at 11 a.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 41st and Lyndale, Minneapolis.

 Memorials preferred to Bethlehem Lutheran Church Foundation, 4100 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN, 55409.