LACROSSE — John J. Stang, 88, died Monday, March 14, 2016, at Rush County Memorial Hospital in LaCrosse. Born Jan. 2, 1928, in LaCrosse, he was the son of Herman E. and Mary B. (Longstreth) Stang. He was a lifelong resident of LaCrosse. A 1946 graduate of LaCrosse High School he attended the University of Kansas where he graduated from Business School, and subsequently received his law degree in 1957. He established his law practice in LaCrosse, and was an attorney. In 1955, he married Mary Lou Harting at Freelandville, Ind.
Mr. Stang was a veteran of the United States Army serving in the Korean War and during the Berlin Crisis. He graduated from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth and the Army War College at Carlisle, Penn. He was active in the Boy Scouts, and was a member of the National Eagle Scout Association. He was a LaCrosse City Commissioner from 1967 – 1970; LaCrosse City Mayor from 1968 – 1970; and the Rush County Attorney from 1958 – 1966. He also served on the Kansas Veterans Commission from 1963 to 1966. He was active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and held many offices on the state and national level before being elected Commander-in-Chief in 1974.
Survivors include, his wife, Mary Lou Stang of LaCrosse; daughter, Karen Hanley, and her family of Northbrook, Ill. Christopher Hanley, Patrick Hanley, Bethany Hanley, and James Hanley; daughter, Sharon Cross, her husband, John, and their family of Mission Viejo, Calif., Marie Cross, and David Cross, and Debra Stang of Shawnee. He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Ronald B. Stang; and his son in law, Bill Hanley.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Sunday at the Janousek Funeral Home in LaCrosse, with the family receiving friends from 5 to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Barnard Library in LaCrosse. Condolences or remembrances may be left for the family at www.charterfunerals.com/locations/janousek-lacrosse.php.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Janousek Funeral Home*
719 Pine
P.O. Box 550
LaCrosse, KS 67548
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 18, 2016