Lee W. Stence

Lee William Stence of Coon Valley, WI, passed away Monday May 6th, 2024, at the Mayo Hospital in La Crosse, WI.

Lee was born August 20th, 1947, to James and Lillian (Mohr) Stence, in Elkader, IA.  Lee began his life working the family farm on Pony Hollow Road in Clayton County. On the farm, field work was his calling as he could drive his father’s orange tractors until his heart was content. After graduating High School in Elkader, he attended college at Iowa State University. He fully embraced his time at ISU, continuing to play the coronet in the marching band and studying abroad in Europe during his senior year. His consistent yelling at the TV while watching ISU games was proof those red and yellow colors never faded from his system. 

He began his teaching career in Guttenberg, IA as an Ag teacher in 1974 and finished his career teaching at Charter Oak Ute School District from 1996 until his retirement in 2017. Although he was 70 years old at the time of his retirement, he still found it difficult, as he truly missed his interaction with all the students. He enjoyed participating in both community and FFA events, working with students and helping them achieve their goals. 

Lee and Susan Blumer were married on December 16th, 1992, in Leavenworth, Kansas and enjoyed 31 years of marriage with their blended family. Over the course of his life, Lee took every opportunity to enjoy time with his children, grandchildren, family, friends, cousins and neighbors. Any given evening, he could be found watching Star Trek or James Bond with his trusted companion Poudre in his lap. 

Lee is survived by his wife Susan; his children, Jennifer Stence and Matthew (Molly) Stence; Susan’s children Nicole (Jeremy) Johnson, and Jason (Danielle Eitsert) Bacon. He is also survived by his grandchildren Kelsey, Benjamin, and Jamie Stoffel, Lilly, Henry, and Avery Stence, Isabella and Cole Johnson, Emma and Hegan Bacon. He is further survived by his sister Deborah (Dave) Thomas, and father-in-law Donald Blumer, and several brothers-in-laws, sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews.

Lee was preceded in death by his parents, mother-in-law Thelma Blumer, and brother-in-law Jinx Tucker.

A Memorial Gathering will be held on Sunday, May 12, 2024, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, at Central State Bank, 200 North Main Street, Elkader, IA. There will also be a celebration of Life for Lee on Saturday, July 13, 2024, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM in the Charter Oak Community Hall, 33 Main St., Charter Oak, IA.