Mary Stangeland

Mary Frances Stangeland was born on January 30, 1956 to Herbert and Mary (Pierskalla) Schneider in St. Cloud, Minnesota. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph Catholic Church in St. Cloud. During her childhood, she and her siblings would help her dad clean the elementary school as he was the janitor there. She attended Apollo High School in St. Cloud and graduated in 1974. She took classes in Office Education at the vocational school in Willmar, Minnesota. While attending vocational school she joined OEA and won 2nd place in Minneapolis, Minnesota and advanced to Nationals where she placed 7th. In 1974, she began working in the kitchen at St. Ben's College and Convent. In 1977 she moved to Pipestone and began working at Fey Industries as a gopher, making sure everyone had what they needed. She met Jon Stangeland and the two were united in marriage on June 18, 1982, at First Lutheran Church in Pipestone, Minnesota. She was later promoted to purchasing assistant at Fey Industries. In 1985, she began working for Dr. Tobias as his assistant, while also assisting Jon on the farm. In 1988, she became the Secretary at Christ the King Free Lutheran Church in Pipestone, holding that position until 1997. In 1998, she began working at Gorter Clay and Dairy doing payroll and bookkeeping until she retired in June of 2022.

In November of 2022, she was diagnosed with cancer, a battle she fought until May of 2024 when it went into remission. In August of 2025, the cancer returned. Mary entered hospice care in July 2026, and was admitted to the Pipestone County Hospice House in Pipestone where she passed away surrounded by her family on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

Mary was a member of Christ the King Free Lutheran Church in Pipestone. She joined the bible study circle until she started as church secretary and also taught Sunday school. She helped with quilting, and was in charge of bake sales and enjoyed baking lefse for them. Mary also loved to volunteer at Good Sam and help with different activities there. Mary was an avid Minnesota sports fan, especially the Twins and Vikings. She enjoyed going bowling and watching Jon play softball. She also found so much joy in watching her kids' and grandkids' activities through the years. She began golfing, her goal was always to score lower than age, unfortunately this goal was never achieved. She will be remembered by everyone who knew her as a strong, loyal, and loving woman.

Mary is lovingly remembered by her husband, Jon; two children, Bradly Eric Stangeland of Grafton, North Dakota, and Jennifer Lynn (Jared Goebel) Stangeland of Hartford, South Dakota; siblings, Herbert H. Schneider of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Daniel Schneider of St. Cloud, Minnesota, Charles Schneider of Brandon, South Dakota, JoAnn Stangeland of Ihlen Minnesota, David Schneider of St. Cloud, Michel Schneider of Avon, Sharon Fruck of Monument, Colorado, and Susan Thoreson of Oak Grove, Minnesota, Minnesota; four grandchildren, Hailey Goebel, Arayah Goebel, Austyn Stangeland, and Brooklynn Stangeland. She was preceded in death by her parents, Herb and Mary Schneider; brother-in-law, Craig Stangeland; and granddaughter, Gina Stangeland.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred and may be directed to the Pipestone County Hospice House.