Verla Stange
Verla “Jackie” Faye Stange, age 96, of Lindstrom, Minn., formerly of Colby, passed away surrounded by her loving family on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at her home in Lindstrom, Minn., under the care of Hospice of the Midwest.
A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at Zion Lutheran Church in Colby, with Rev. James Groleau presiding. She will be laid to rest in St. Paul Norwegian Cemetery in the Town of Hoard. Family and friends are invited to gather at the church for a time of visitation from 1 p.m. until the time of service. The honor of pallbearer belongs to Hunter and Kamran Stanton, Grant Anderson, Chad and Ryan Buss and Keezy Cox.
Verla was born on February 16, 1930, in Abbotsford, one of twin daughters to Milo and Milla (Borgemoen) Lott. She lived in Abbotsford as an infant before moving to a farm northwest of Curtiss. At six years of age, the family moved to Chicago, where Jackie attended school until her freshman year of high school, when her father was transferred to Eau Claire. In 1947, due to her father’s illness, the family moved back to Curtiss, where she completed her education at Owen High School. There, along with her twin sister, she was active in cheerleading and many other school activities. After graduation, Jackie moved to Milwaukee and worked in the offices of Hush Puppies Shoe Factory and AAA Realty.
Jackie was united in marriage to Neil McCarron, Jr. on June 9,1950. They later divorced but remained friends. On April 7, 1956, she married Harold Stange, her loving partner for 61 years, until his passing on November 20, 2017.
Following her marriage, Jackie worked in the office of Lewis Container (now known as PCA) before opening her own businesses: first “Stange’s Variety” and later “Fashion Boutique”, a women’s wear store she operated for ten years. She later drove school bus in Colby for four years, followed by 15 years as the secretary at Zion Lutheran Church.
Jackie was a past president of the VFW Post 2227 Auxiliary. For many years, she sponsored and bowled with teams, including mixed couples. She was also a member of Zion’s Ladies Aide, volunteered for the C.U.P. Food Pantry, and served as treasurer for the St. Paul Norwegian Cemetery Association.
She enjoyed bowling, snowmobiling, fishing, and traveling—especially her two trips to Norway and a special trip to New York with her granddaughters Mindy and Miranda, greatgranddaughter Kayla, niece Rhonda, Rhonda’s daughter Kristi, and granddaughter Jenna. She cherished family gatherings and was a selfproclaimed “pro” shopper, as many friends would attest. She was also fondly known as the “hat lady,” as she was rarely seen without one. Her favorite titles were “Grandma,” “Great-Grandma,” and “Nana,” and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were always her most treasured gifts.
Many happy years were spent with her “other half’ Harold, at their mobile home on Arrowhead Lake in Minocqua and for 29 years at their cottage on Soo Lake in Phillips, where many lifelong friendships were formed.
Jackie is survived by her children: Michael McCarron of Colby and Vicki Ganske of Chetek; her grandchildren: Mindy (Grant) Stanton of Wyoming, Minn.; Shanna (Chris) Roth-Kamppi of Chetek; Nathan (Stacy) Roth of Rice Lake; Miranda McCarron of Wausau and Mollie (Keezy) McCarron of Wausau; her greatgrandchildren: Hunter, Kamran, Kayla, Brianna, Bailey, McKenna, MaTaya, Eliot, Myah, Ma’Kylynn, Mac and Mazie; two greatgreat- grandchildren; her special niece, Rhonda Buss; her nephew, Bill (Toni) Mattson; and many other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Harold; her parents, Milo and Milla Lott; her twin grandsons, Shawn and Jeremy Roth; her twin sister and brother-in-law, Virgie and Robert Mattson; her in-laws: Linda and Neil Oestreich and Clarence Stange; brother and sister-in-law, Allen and Virginia Stange; brother-in-law, Lyle Stange and sister-in-law, Jean Montgomery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Jackie’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and/or the Clark County Humane Society.
Arrangements are under the care of Life Tributes Funeral Home-Spencer. Please visit www.lifetributesfuneralhome.com to share http://www.lifetributesfuneralhome.com thoughts and condolences.
