TORRINGTON – A Celebration of Life for Stanley “Smokey” Duane Willadsen, 85, will be held at East Gate Baptist Church in Torrington on Feb. 4, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Smokey received his wings on Dec. 7, 2022, at Chimney Rock Villa in Bayard, Nebraska and at his request cremation has taken place. In lieu flowers the family requests donations be made to East Gate Baptist Church. Private family burial will take place at a later date. The Colyer Funeral Home assisted the family with the cremation arrangements.
Smokey was born May 31, 1937, in Scottsbluff, Nebraska the sixth of seven children to Yiggs and Lottie (Young) Willadsen. He grew up on the family homestead in Goshen County. He attended schools in Lyman, Nebraska and Huntley.
In 1954, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged in 1958. He returned to Lyman and received his GED that same year. In 1959, Stan married Marilyn Notman in Harrisburg, Nebraska. She was his mate and partner for life. For the first nine years, they lived in California, where daughter Laura Dee and son Steven Duane joined the family. While in California, at one time, he was a security guard for NASA and guarded the original X-15 rocket that now hangs at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. In 1969, they returned to Wyoming and settled in Torrington and in 1972, he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He was very active and served in many positions at East Gate Baptist Church which was very important to him. He worked for Gulley Motor Company for many years then in 1985 he opened Stan’s Repair with Marilyn by his side. They ran it together until failing health caused them to retire in 1995.
Smokey was preceded in death by his precious wife; parents; in-laws; brothers Chris, Eugene “Swede,” Charles “Pete”, and Larry Willadsen; sisters Monta Powers and Dorthea “Dixie” Elliot; brothers-in-law Harold Notman, Bill Elliot, and Nick Di Donato; sisters-in-law Evelyn Notman, Vivan Di Donato and Carolyn Schwab. He is survived by his daughter Laura (David) Derr of Henry, Nebraska; son Steven (Bridget) of Bar None; four grandsons; three granddaughters; one great granddaughter; brothers-in-law Jim (Bonnie) Notman, Gerald (Sharon) Notman, Marvin Powers and Melvin Schwab; sisters-in-law Linda (John) Boe, Kathy (Jerry) Bow, Jean Willadsen, Willie Willadsen and Barbara Notman; numerous nieces and nephews; a wonderful church family; his coffee girls; and many special friends.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. I Thessalonians 4:14.
