Stanley Stydnicki

Stan Stydnicki, age 90, of Baxter, MN died Saturday, September 5, 2015 at Edgewood Vista Assisted Living in Baxter, MN. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00AM, Wednesday, September 9, 2015, at St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Brainerd, MN, with a visitation one hour prior to services. Interment will be at Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery near Little Falls, MN.

Stan was born on May 8, 1925 to Michael and Antonette Stydnicki of Elyria, Ohio. He attended Holy Cross Catholic Grade School through the 8th grade, then Elyria High School. At Elyria High School, Stan participated in various school sport activities, including the high school baseball and football teams. He was a running back for the school in 1941-42 season. After World War II, he continued his education at Dakota Wesleyen University at Mitchell, SD and Central Radio and Television school in Kansas City, MO. While in college, Stan played football, tennis and participated in track and field events. He also played baseball in the South Dakota State League for Mitchell as a catcher. Stan married H. Eleanor Thomsen of Dawson, MN on September 25, 1948, whom he met while attending college. Stan's civic activities were many. He was a member of the American Legion and VFW. He served as President and Board Member of the Northfield Chamber of Commerce from 1972-1973 and as President and Board Member of the Northfield Industrial Corp. Other activities included that of Chairman of the Defeat of Jesse James Days Committee in 1969 and 1970 and publicity chair in 1971. He worked on the Northfield City Hospital Fund Drive for it's major expansion. He also worked with the United Fund Appeal, Crime Stoppers, and Civil Air Patrol and was a Trustee for the Church of St. Dominic's in Northfield. Stan was elected to the Board of Directors of the Dundas State Bank in 1980 and served for 20 years. His hobbies included hunting, fishing, golf and aviation.
Stan was best known for his weather forecasting on both radio and TV as "Stan the Weatherman" for 15 years on Channel 6 at Austin, MN from 1953 to 1968 doing both the 6PM and 10PM weather shows. Stan started with radio station KAUS as a radio transmitter engineer in 1950. He helped build the TV station in Austin, MN, Channel 6 in 1953, then KMMT, now KAAL and progressed through various station operations to become the stations Vice President of Operations for the stations. In 1968 Stan left the TV station in Austin to build his own radio station in Northfield, MN (KYMN 1080 AM). The station went air in September of 1968. Stan was President, General Manager and majority owner of the station for many years before selling the station in January 1983.
Stan served in the United States Navy from April 1943 to March 1946. He enlisted in the Navy upon graduating from Elyria, Ohio High School. After receiving training at the United States Naval training station at Great Lakes, II, he was assigned to the aircraft carrier escort USS Kitkun Bay (CVE 71). Stan served as a radioman aboard the carrier, reaching the rank of Petty Officer Second Class upon discharge from the service. The aircraft carrier USS Kitkun Bay saw action in the Pacific Theater of war in World War II. Stan was in six major sea and air battles in the Pacific including the second Battle of the Philippines at Leyte Gulf in October 1944. The USS Kitkun Bay along with five other carriers was part of the group code named Taffy 3. He received five service medals including the Victory Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Medal with six battle stars, the Philippine Liberation Medal with two stars, the Presidential Unit Citation Medal and the American Area Medal along with the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Medal. His duties onboard the ship was that of radio operator and transmitter tunning and as a maintenance engineer.

Stan is survived by his children, Mary S Johnston of Woodstock, MD, Michael of Brainerd, MN; two brothers, Frank of Bluffton, SC and Ben of Grafton, OH; sister, Mary Wilkens of Elyria, OH. He was preceded in death by his parents, and one sister, Ann Page. Arrangements have been entrusted to Brenny Funeral Chapel in Baxter, MN.