JOHN STASTNY

John died Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls. Funeral Mass was held Saturday, July 15 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Wagner. Burial was in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, rural Wagner, with military honors. Peters Funeral Home in Wagner was in charge of arrangements.

John Stastny was born January 7, 1939, in Wagner, the ninth child of Joseph Sr. and Helen Stastny’s 13 children. John attained the age of 84 years, 6 months, and 3 days.

John attended a country school and then Ravinia until the 8th grade. At the age of 18 John enlisted in the Army and spent three years initially as a mechanic and then with the Army Band playing the clarinet throughout Europe and would often share his many stories of his time oversees and traveling. When John returned from the Army, he met and married Trudy Proks. They were united in marriage on August 27, 1963, at St Leo’s Catholic Church in Tyndall. John spent his adult life farming with his brother Tony north of Wagner at the “Stastny” corner. Farming consisted of John Deer tractors and equipment and initially cattle, hogs and grain and in the late 60’s John and Tony sold off the livestock and continued farming only grain including mostly corn and soybeans.

John will be remembered for his storytelling, many years he spent trucking for Johnson Trucking, playing cards, farming, and the love he had for his family.

Thankful for having shared his life are his sister Agnes Kokesh of Wagner, brother Tony and wife Donna of Wagner, sister Ann and husband Jerry Wagner of Pierre, sister Rose and husband Dennis Koupal of Wagner, and Martha and husband Pat Uecker of Rapid City; niece Cathy and her husband Greg Wedman of Yukon OK; and numerous nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors.

John was preceded in death by his wife Trudy on November 8, 2011; two sons: Darrell as an infant and Kevin as a sevenyear-old in 1973; parents Helen and Joseph Stastny; mother and father-in-law Wesley and Verda Proks; sisters and brothers-inlaw: Alice Kokesh and husband Clayton, Mildred Cap and husband Victor, Helen and husband Leonard Cuka, Dorothy and husband Edward Cuka; brother and sister in law Joe and Mary Ann Stastny; brothers-in law: Richard Koupal and Edward Kokesh; and at infancy, brother Franklin and sister Mary.