Obituary of Stanley Dreher

Stanley E. Dreher, Jr., age 92, of Iola, Kansas, passed away on Tuesday, December 25, 2018, at his residence in Iola.  Stanley was born April 27, 1926, in Iola, Kansas, to Stanley E. Dreher, Sr. and Loretta (Whitaker) Dreher.

At the age of six, Stanley moved with his family to New Mexico, where he attended grade school, grades one through eight, in Farley, New Mexico.  His mother passed away when Stanley was fourteen, his brother Lyle was twelve, and his sister Yvonne was four.  The family moved back to Iola to live with Stanley’s grandparents, Homer and Ida Dreher.  Stanley graduated from Iola High School. 

Stanley enlisted in the Army Air Force while still in high school.  He served as aviator’s cadet during World War II and was discharged in late 1945.  He then enlisted and served eight years in the Air Force Reserves.  In 1951, Stanley was called to active duty during the Korean War.  He received a 100-day delay in order to harvest crops, and he was not recalled.  Stanley was a pilot and owned airplanes for many years.

Stanley and Maxine Brooks were married on September 7, 1952, in Iola.  They celebrated their 66^th wedding anniversary this year.  Stanley and Maxine continued Stanley’s farming operation.  He retired from farming in 2005. 

Stanley served on many boards, committees, and councils as both leader and member for years.  Stanley served fourteen years on the Kansas Farm Bureau Board of Directors.  He served three years as Allen County Farm Bureau president, twenty years as beef superintendent on the Allen County Fair Board, eighteen years Board of Supervisors of Allen County Soil Conservation Service, twenty-three years as an official for high school and junior college football and basketball games, and forty-five years in farming.  Stanley served as chairman of the Allen County Planning & Zoning Board, he was a member of the Kanas Beef Council Executive Committee, and he served on the Farm-City Days Committee.  Stanley was a member of the Kansas Livestock Association, American Soybean Association, and the American Legion.    

Stanley was elected to Kansas House of Representatives, where he served from 1996 to 2004, with a 100% voting record in 1999.  

Stanley loved to watch sports.  He enjoyed being president of the Allen County Farm Bureau, grand marshal of the Farm-City Days, a Farm Bureau Master Farmer, and being involved with the American Legion.  Stanley was especially proud of receiving the Kansas Farm Bureau Family Award.

Stanley was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Lyle Dreher; and sister, Yvonne Percy.   

Stanley is survived by his wife, Maxine, of the home; one son, Steven Dreher and wife, Janet, Iola, Kansas; one daughter, Teresa Hays and husband, Paul, Sunrise Beach, Missouri; four grandchildren, Jason Dreher, Kristen Dreher, Kasey Hays Taul and husband, Johnnie, Stephanie Hays; five great- grandchildren, Taegan Taul, Parker Taul, Landen Hays, Brody Dreher, and Hudson James.

A visitation will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 29, 2018, at the Wesley United Methodist Church, immediately followed by a memorial service at 1:30 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, 301 East Madison Street, Iola, Kansas.  Following the memorial service, inurnment with military honors will be in the Gas Cemetery, 1386 - 2200 Street, Gas, Kansas.

Memorials are suggested to the Iola American Legion Baseball, and may be left with Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, Iola, Kansas.

Condolences for the family may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.