Barbara Kay Stancl

BARBARA KAY STANCL (KNAACK), age 74, of Elmore, Minnesota, died Friday, November 15, 2019 at Madonna Towers of Rochester, Benedictine Health System. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, November 22, 2019, at 10:30 AM, at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Blue Earth, MN with Father Andrew Beerman as celebrant.  Burial will be at Bohemian National Cemetery, Owatonna, MN.  Visitation time will be Thursday from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM, at Patton Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 400 E. 14th Street in Blue Earth, MN and one hour prior to the service at the church. Barbara was born July 12, 1945, in Wakefield, Michigan, the daughter of Ralph and Mae (Arnestad) Knaack.  She graduated from Marenisco High School in 1963.  Barbara was a speech and language pathologist and obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree from Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. She touched the lives of hundreds of students while working at Gogebic - Ontonagon Intermediate School District (Michigan) and the Southern Plains Education Cooperative (Minnesota). She was involved with the Catholic Daughters of SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church, PTO, Faribault County 4-H, and participated in many choirs and melodramas.  She was the Faribault County Fair Superintendent for Open Class for many years.  Barbara enjoyed camping, gardening, snowmobiling, traveling and attending the annual Indianapolis 500 race with her family.  She was known for her kindness and compassionate spirit.  She is survived by one son, Craig Stancl and his wife Marie of Byron, MN; one daughter, Laura Nordlund and her husband Jason of Byron, MN; her brother, Robert Knaack (Gail) of Schofield, WI; her sister, Mary Ann Gurchinoff (Thomas) of Dollar Bay, MI; three granddaughters, Heather, Elizabeth and Amelia Nordlund; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins; and her furry grand dogs, Indy, Lucy and Brewster. Barbara was preceded in death by Donald, husband of 47 years, her parents, aunts, and uncles.