Stanley L Spina

Stanley Lawrence ‘Stanislavs’ Spina was born December 6, 1956 to James (Jim) and Delores (Brinkman) Spina in Baudette, MN.

As a young man growing up in Williams, Stan loved to be outside, running through the woods, building forts and whatever else boys of that era did.  He enjoyed anything and everything outdoors.

Stan attended school in Williams and graduated high school in May 1975 from Lake of the Woods after the consolidation.

He joined the Army in November 1975 and completed Basic Training in Ft. Leonard Wood, MO.

Stan was trained as a Military Policeman, then went off to California for permanent duty until November 1978.  Stan gained some lifelong friends whom he met during his time in the military.  He was very proud of his military service, and it played a very important role throughout his life. 

Upon returning home from the military, Stan began his career in the woods as a logger and he first worked alongside his father.  He then briefly worked with the Warroad Forestry thinning tree plantations, corduroying roads and picking pinecones.  He also worked at Arvid Olson’s Mill & Dave House’s Mill.  In 1984, he opened and operated Spina’s Mill with his father until 1995.

In 1996, Stan began his 17-year employment with 7 Clans Casino in Warroad where he was the Security Supervisor until 2013.  He and Shelli moved to Fargo to be closer to their daughter and granddaughter where he drove armored car for Rochester Armored Car from 2013-2017 until retirement.  He favored this position due to the fact that he could carry weapons.

Stan married Shelli Wood in 1982 and to that union their son, Joab Stanley & daughter Hayley MiShell were born.

As Joab and Hayley grew up, you would usually find Stan playing baseball in the yard, playing ‘HORSE’ at the basketball hoop or participating in a wrestling match on the living room floor with them.  He also loved riding bike with Ava and taking her to the park.  He loved his family more than anything in this world.

Stan had many interests.  He enjoyed ice fishing, camping, and cruising the back roads with family and friends, reading books, listening to music, attending concerts, arm wrestling, gardening, watching hockey, riding bike, lifting weights and shooting guns. Stan saved all his vacation time for deer hunting.  He looked forward to spending hunting season with his hunting buddies in The Sugar Shack located in the ‘Back Forty’ of their home in Williams.  He also made the best popcorn - just enough flame, just enough oil, just enough butter and just enough salt. 

If Stan was around, jokes were cracked. He could take just about anything and turn it into something funny, either by the way he would talk about it or the way he would mis-pronounce it on purpose.  That will be missed but will be carried on through Joab.

Stan is survived by wife, Shelli; children Joab & Hayley (Doug); granddaughter Ava; brothers, Steve, and Stacy (Sharon); several cousins, nieces and nephews; family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Jim and Delores; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Stu and Sharon Wood.

Join us for a Celebration of Life for Stanley Lawrence Spina (December 6, 1956 – April 27, 2023) on Saturday, May 6th, 2023 from 4pm – 8pm at the Warroad Estates Golf Course Club House (37293 Elm Dr, Warroad, MN 56763).

Stan’s son, Joab and Granddaughter, Ava will be catering the food for the event.  Coffee, refreshments, and a full cash bar will be available.

Let’s come together to celebrate Stan’s life and the memories that he gave us all.

If anyone would like to bring their memories, stories and/or photos to share, please do!  There will be a microphone available to anyone who like to share a story.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Stanley L Spina, please visit our floral store.