Stanley Loren Dammann, age 96 of Springfield, formerly of Lamberton, passed away peacefully September 27, 2019 at his home in Springfield. Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 5 at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Lamberton. Visitation will be 4:00-7:00 p.m. Friday, October 4 and will continue one hour prior to the service AT CHURCH. Interment will be in the Lamberton Cemetery at a later date.

A lifelong area resident, Stan was born in Sanborn, December 8, 1922 to Herman and Mary (Radtke) Dammann, attended Sanborn public school, and served in the Army Air Force as an aircraft hydraulic system mechanic, motorcycle mechanic and military police during World War 2. After his honorable discharge, Stan returned to Minnesota and married Marcella Berg of Wanda on November 24, 1947. Together they would raise six children. After moving to Lamberton, Stan worked as a service representative for Interstate Power Company for 40 years, until his retirement in 1986, serving local customers, and teaching area students about electrical safety during annual visits to local 5th grade classrooms. An active community member, Stan served as a volunteer with the Lamberton Fire Department and on the ambulance crew for 30 years, was a member of the Commercial Club, caretaker of the Lamberton Cemetery, and, starting in 1949, portrayed Santa Claus to hand out treats after free Christmas movie showings at the Berton Theater in Lamberton – a role he filled so convincingly he was frequently asked to appear as Santa at Christmas gatherings for local families. Stan also became the local bicycle repair man, fixing bikes and teaching bike maintenance along the way. He donated dozens of bikes to local children, and even sent restored bikes as far away as the Catholic mission in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala. Stan was an active member of the American Legion, Andrew Peterson Post 41, for 72 years, serving in the color guard for Memorial Day celebrations, chaperoning Lamberton/Sanborn representatives to Boys and Girls County, and placing flags on veteran’s graves prior to each Memorial Day. In 2013, he received the Children and Youth Program Lifetime Achievement Award from the Minnesota American Legion in recognition of his service to area youth and his community. For all his involvement and community participation, residents throughout the region likely knew Stan best as “Stan the Clown.” From 1952 until he was 90 years of age, Stan the Clown was a fixture in local parades and community celebrations across southwestern Minnesota – from Springfield, Morgan, Sanborn and Lamberton to Canby, Glenwood and the American Legion state convention parade. As a Sanborn native, clowning in the Watermelon Days parade always held special meaning for Stan, and he was deeply honored to be named the parade’s Grand Marshall in 2017.

He is survived by his wife of 72 years Marcella of Springfield; children Carol (Michael) Allen of Plymouth, Susan (David) Young of St. Paul, Janell (Clem) Paschal of Minneapolis, Jill (Sandy) Zats of St. Paul and Sara (Rob) Kimm of St. Paul; grandchildren Andrew, Stacy, Christopher, Alison, Liz, Kate, Chad, Mark, Megan, Nathan, Laura, Jacob, Madeline, Marcy, Ethan, and Morgan; eight great grandchildren; two brothers; one sister; one sister-in law; and many nieces and nephews. Stan is preceded in death by his parents, son Bryan, one brother, one sister, two brothers-in-law, and one sister-in-law.