Stanley J. Hankins, 77, of Albert Lea, died peacefully at home of metastatic melanoma on May 28, 2013. A memorial service will be at 1:30 p.m. June 9 at Our Father’s House, 18358 S. Highway 69, Albert Lea. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Saturday at Bayview Funeral Home in Albert Lea and one hour before the service at the church. Online condolences are welcome at www.bayviewfuneral.com.

Stanley John Hankins, of Albert Lea, was born in Superior, Wis., to Glenn and Ruth Hankins of Solon Springs, Wis., on Feb. 27, 1936. He was raised on the family dairy farm. He was baptized and confirmed at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Solon Springs. He attended elementary and high school in Solon Springs, graduating in 1954. He enrolled at Concordia College in Moorhead, in 1954 and graduated with a major in English and a minor in psychology in 1958. During college he worked at the college cafeteria, a gas station and a creamery to pay for his college education.

While in college, he met Lois Wika from Clark, S.D., and they married on Nov. 24, 1957, in Clark. They taught two years at Clark High School, before moving to Albert Lea in 1960. They have lived on an acreage west of Albert Lea since 1964. Stan taught English at Albert Lea Central Junior High, Brookside Junior High, Albert Lea Senior High and Southwest Junior High schools from 1960 until his retirement in 1993. He enjoyed his eighth- and ninth-grade students and always had a joke or pun to share with them.

Stan loved to sing and express his faith in Jesus Christ through music. He was a member of the music team at his church, Our Father’s House, Albert Lea. Stan and Lois served as mission coordinators at their church. They were involved in mission outreaches in Costa Rica, Children’s Vision International, a children’s home in Bogota, Colombia, YWAM Hospital Mercy Ships in Latvia, Mexico outreaches, Okontoe Fellowship in Grand Marais, Los Angeles Inner City missions and MAPS project in Kauai, Hawaii, where they helped in building a church. Stan and Lois were part of a Monday night Bible study group for more than 35 years and also another social group of long-term friends.

Stan served on the board of directors for the Albert Lea Youth for Christ’s The Rock and a volunteer for Wednesday Live and other projects at the Rock. He also was active in the Youth for Christ Colorado Caravan. Stan had been on the board and served as a volunteer driver for Freeborn County Senior Resources. He helped farming friends during spring and fall work. He and Lois also enjoyed traveling, especially to see family, and hiking, bicycling and snowmobiling. He and Lois enjoyed working on their acreage in Armstrong.

He is survived by his wife, Lois, of 55 years; and also his family, son Philip (Elizabeth) Hankins of Sacramento, Calif.; daughters, Lynne (Kevin) Hartke of Chandler, Ariz., Renae (Daniel) Roehrs, Pagosa Springs, Colo., Lisa (Dan) Malmstrom of Battle Lake; and 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, Matthew, Garrett and Elise Hankins of Sacramento, Calif., Nathan (Rachel) Hartke and Micah, Tucson, Ariz., Aleah (Todd) Butler, Katelyn and Zachary Hartke, Chandler, Ariz., Tiffany (Darrin) DeBoer, Jasmine and Levi, Durango, Colo., Tim Roehrs, Waco, Texas, Brianna Roehrs, Pagosa Springs, Reed and Evan Malmstrom, Battle Lake and Grant Malmstrom, San Diego, Calif.

He is also survived by three brothers and two sisters, Russell (Jean) Hankins, Bellevue, Neb., Loretta Howland, Zimmerman, David (Linda) Hankins, Solon Springs, Wis., Dorothy (Gary) Swanson, Grand Forks, N.D., and Roger (Tia) Hankins, Solon Springs; and brother-in-law, John Tenney, Hawthorne, Wis. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews and cousins.

Stan is preceded in death by his father in 1979; his mother in 1993; a sister, Lois Tenney, in 2013; a brother-in-law, Paul Howland in 1999; and a brother in infancy. Burial will be at a future date in the Solon Springs Cemetery.

The family would like to express sincere gratitude to Albert Lea Hospice, Mayo Clinic personnel in Rochester and Albert Lea, and numerous caretakers and friends.

Memorials as desired or to Children’s Vision International, Bogota, Colombia with headquarters in Bangor, Wis., or Youth for Christ in Albert Lea.