Stanley Milford McKimmey

Stanley McKimmey was born on July 16th, 1953 to Katherine and Stanley McKimmey Sr. at Mullen NE. He joined 5 siblings and resided in Seneca, NE. When Stanley was six years old, his mother passed away. Stan Sr. worked construction and was away from home much of the time, leaving the care of the two youngest boys to their older sister. At the age of eight and in search of a more stable family life, Stanley went to live on a ranch near Dunning, NE with Miller and Helen Heller and a new sister Vickie. In 1966, another sister, Elizabeth joined the Heller family. She was four at the time and also had family connections to Seneca.

Stanley attended grade school at Dunning Elementary through sixth grade and onto Jr. High and High School as a Halsey-Dunning Tiger in Halsey, NE graduating in 1972. That was the final graduating class of Halsey-Dunning before consolidating with Brewster and moving to Dunning to become Sandhills Public Schools. Stanley was active in football, basketball and track during his high school years. Through the summer months he was involved in 4-H projects including showing horses, cattle, hogs and a few sheep. He made purple ribbon cookies that went on to the Nebraska State Fair. After years of showing Hereford cattle, Stanley won Grand Champion Market Beef at Ak-Sar-Ben his senior year after switching to Charolais, an accomplishment he was very proud of. Stanley made many friends in school but one particular classmate, Shelly Baxter, captured his heart. They were married on October 7th, 1972, at 19 and 18 years of age, respectively. They worked on ranches in the area in their early married life and on September 6th, 1980 their first daughter, Cori, was born while working on the Sonny Hanna ranch west of Brownlee. In October 1980 they moved to Ainsworth where Stanley worked at the Coop Feed Mill for several years. On July 15th, 1983 their second daughter, Kristen, was born. Stanley was always so proud of his girls and loved them with all his heart. While living in Ainsworth he joined the Ainsworth Volunteer Fire Department. He made many lifelong friendships with the members and their families. He loved being in this organization and was always ready to go when they got the call.

In the summer of 1986 they moved back to the sandhills and worked for the William Dunn ranch. When Shelly’s dad passed away in the fall of 1990, they moved back to Ainsworth and lived on her folks’ place north of town. It was there the girls got their first taste of country school. In the summer of 1993 they moved into town and Stanley was once again employed at the Coop Feed Mill, later transferring to the fertilizer plant. Shelly was hired by Kracl Equipment Co., the local John Deere dealership, and the girls began school at Ainsworth Elementary and Middle School. When Stanley again left the Coop, he started trucking for Hurless Trucking, hauling fat cattle. He enjoyed trucking but was missing his family and the activities going on in their lives. In July of 2001 he went to work for the Nebraska Department of Transportation. Later on he began to do some part time trucking for Duden Trucking, hauling cattle and distiller. During these years he joined the Ainsworth Elks Lodge #1790 and eventually started going through the Chairs. In the 2006-2007 year, he became Exalted Ruler and in 2006 he and Shelly attended the National Elks Convention in Orlando, Fl., and made a lot of new friends along the way. In the year of 2008-2009 he was appointed the position of State Elks Tiler by the incoming State President at the Nebraska Elks Convention in North Platte. After leaving the Elks, it was time to move on to other things and other interests. 

In June of 2009 his youngest daughter, Kristi was married to Dustin Petersen. They welcomed Stan’s first grandson, Soren Tyler, in January of 2019, followed by his granddaughter, Maeve Holland in March of 2021. Besides his daughters, these two grandkids were his pride and joy and he loved every minute he spent with them. In August of 2024 his oldest daughter, Cori was married to Dan Dunaway and he gained 3 very special step-granddaughters, Emily, Kacey and Macy Dunaway. These girls are all very talented softball players. 

In the fall of 2021, Stanley was diagnosed with lung cancer. He had part of his lower left lobe removed 4 days before Christmas. After the first of the year he began 4 rounds of chemo and on March 25, 2022 he rang the bell at his clinic in Kearney that he was free of cancer and done with chemo. He did very well through the summer of 2022 but sadly, that fall he found the cancer had returned in both lungs. He again started in with heavy rounds of chemo and then moved onto a milder chemo treatment with immunotherapy for maintenance. He was very fortunate that the maintenance was working well and he felt really good. However, over the past couple of months his health began to deteriorate and was treated in hospitals a few times and dismissed on oxygen with hospice care. The cancer never spread but was growing inside the lungs. Stanley passed away peacefully in his home on the morning of September 11th, 2024 with his wife Shelly, his sister Vickie and other family members by his side. 

Stanley was preceded in death by his parents, Stanley Sr. and Katherine McKimmey, Miller and Helen Heller; siblings Lawrence Corbett, Joe and Ron Eaton; father and mother in law, Burl and Dorothy Baxter; sister in law, Lexie Treat; and brothers in law, Bill Webb, Laddie Kmoch and Don Royal. Survivors include his wife, Shelly McKimmey of Ainsworth; daughters, Cori (and husband, Dan) Dunaway of Crete, NE, and Kristen (and husband, Dustin) Petersen of Lincoln, NE; two grandchildren, Soren and Maeve Petersen of Lincoln, NE and three step-granddaughters, Emily, Kacey and Macey Dunaway of Crete, NE; four siblings: Sandra Royal of Minden, NE, David (and wife, Glenda) Eaton of Nampa, ID, Vickie Webb of Dunning, NE, and Elizabeth “Looee” Kmoch of Callaway, NE; sisters in law: Sharon Jenkins of Greenwood, AR, Sandy Miller of Burwell, NE and Johna Eaton of Broken Bow, NE; brothers in law: Jim (and wife, Candy) Baxter of Delta, CO and Mike (and wife, Linn) Baxter of Ainsworth; along with nieces, nephews, and other family members.

A memorial graveside inurnment was held on Saturday, October 5th, 2024 at the Purdum Cemetery, followed by a noon meal and Celebration of Life in the Dunning Community Hall. All who attended were asked to wear their Husker, Cowboy or casual attire of their choosing. Memorials were suggested to the Blaine County Foundation or to the family in Stanley’s name for further designation. Hoch Funeral Home of Ainsworth assisted with arrangements and condolences may be left for the family at www.,hochfuneralhome.com . 

Hoch Funeral Home of Ainsworth is assisting with arrangements. 

To leave an online condolence, please visit www.hochfuneralhome.com.