Wesley Eugene Stinton was born on July 19th, 1925 to Orville V. Stinton and Grace B. (Slagel) Stinton. He spent his youth on the family farm. Along with two friends, he spent one year in California working as a truck driver on the docks in Long Beach during the War effort-but then returned to South Dakota and graduated from Burke High School. He met a young school teacher by the name of Ruth Aileen Brevik after purchasing a pie that she had made at a school fund raiser, and the rest is history. They were married and had two children, Judith S. (Stinton) Vaughn and Bradley S. Stinton.

Like his father, Wesley raised beef cattle for many years expanding the farm and finally going into the dairy business-milking over 130 head at its' peak. He and Ruth retired from the farm and moved to a house in Burke where they gardened (well, Ruth gardened) and traveled to visit their children and grandchildren. After 62 years of marriage, Ruth was called home in January of 2006.

Wesley spent a few years in Burke before moving into Silver Threads in Gregory, and over time found a wonderful friend in Eileen Drees. They enjoyed each other's company for several years; Eileen left us in January of 2013.

Wesley was a member of the Lucas Baptist Church, and lived his faith. He loved humor, and the only thing that he liked more than laughing was making someone else laugh. He enjoyed hunting and fishing (mostly on TV), and vacationing. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Ruth, his friend Eileen and his Sisters Phyllis (Brevik) Pense, Audrey Brevik and Brother James Brevik.

Wesley is survived by his children, Judith Sharon (Stinton) Vaughn of Palm Desert, CA and Bradley Steven Stinton of Port Angeles, WA; his sister Adelene (Brevik) Pense, his grandchildren Jennifer (Vaughn) Schonebaum of Lakewood, CO, Joshua Stinton of Sydney, AUS, Brian Kirkland of Colorado Springs, CO, Ian Stinton of Whidbey Island, WA, Maximillian Stinton of Colorado Springs, CO and his great grandchildren Skyler and Morgan Schonebaum of Lakewood, CO and Kaedyn and Braysen Kirkland of Colorado Springs, CO.

Memorial services will be held on Friday, January 17, 2014 at 2:00 PM at Clausen Funeral Home in Burke. Burial will be in the Graceland Cemetery, Burke.