Tanner Ray Stokes

Tanner Ray Stokes of Gillette, Wyoming, formerly of Clark, South Dakota and Alexandria, Minnesota passed away on Sunday, August 23, at his home in Gillette. He was 27. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at 1PM in the St. Paul Lutheran Church at Clark with The Reverend Robin Schaunaman officiating. A memorial service will be held in Gillette, WY at the Gillette Memorial Chapel (www.gillettememorialchapel.com) on Friday, August 28th at 11AM. A "Time of Remembrance" for Tanner from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, August 30, 2009 at Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria and a funeral at 11 a.m. Monday, August 31, 2009 at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Garfield, MN. He will be laid to rest after that at Lake Amelia Cemetery in Villard, MN. There will be no visitation. Tanner was born in Alexandria, MN to Duane and Glenda (Gillespie) Stokes on December 13, 1981. The family lived in Elbow Lake, MN where Tanner attended elementary school. His family moved to Clark, South Dakota where he attended school before returning to Alexandria for middle school. Tanner moved to Clark, SD in 1995 and graduated from Clark High School. He attended South Dakota State University at Brookings and graduated from Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown. Tanner developed a business with his dad Duane and stepmother Brenda in Clark and then moved to Gillette where he was a Field Machinist for L & H Industrial. He took great pride in his work. If Tanner was on the job, you knew it would be done perfectly and with pride. Tanner was an avid outdoorsman. Depending on the season, you could find him in camo stalking that huge buck, hunting waterfowl or on the water pulling in lunkers. Tanner had recently taken on the challenge of bareback bronc riding and was chasing down that perfect 8 second ride. He also loved to ride motorcycles and dirt bikes with his friends and enjoyed water skiing and wake boarding or just lending a hand on the ranch. He was a cherished friend and good buddy to many through the years. Just follow the laughter and youd find Tanner, or look inside the dance circle and there he would be, jitterbugging with the ladies. He was a trusted confidant, who his family and friends could count on for anything. Tanner was preceded in death by his grandparents, John and Mabel Stokes, Grandfather Dutch Gillespie, Great Uncle Ray Witt and friends Danielle Beving and Paul Stahl. He is survived by his mother Glenda Stokes of Alexandria, MN sister Sarah (Chris) Herzog of Eau Claire, WI, father Duane and stepmother Brenda Stokes of Clark, SD, Grandmother Joyce Gillespie of Alexandria, MN and several aunts, uncles, cousins and many, many friends. Funeral arrangements are announced by the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where you can email a condolence at www.furnessfuneralhome.com or on facebook at R.I.P. Tanner Stokes.