Claire Catherine Stambaugh peacefully departed this earth May 14, 2015, at the age of 88. She had been a resident of the Dorsett Special Care Unit for the past 5 years.

Claire was born in Belle Fourche, SD, and raised on a farm/ranch between Spearfish and Belle Fourche with her two sisters and brother. Her parents, Ralph Wendelken and Anne Quarnberg Wendelken began their family later in life. Perhaps in part at least, this contributed to the free rein Claire and her siblings enjoyed as they grew up exploring the rimrock above the Redwater River, rearranging the household furniture to make tents, and making many "unsupervised" excursions. The most notorious was a walk of a few miles to Belle with a lunch of canned beans planned. Unfortunately, the anticipated lunch ended with the unopened can of beans exploding over their campfire. And perhaps this independence allowed during childhood contributed to Claire's independence and love of learning as an adult. Her list of activities and interests included Master Gardener, geology, quilting, sewing, knitting, Elderhostel, woodworking, music (clarinet, piano, choir, New Horizons Band, Belle Fourche Cowboy Band), swimming, flower arranging, tutoring (neighborhood swim and piano teacher, adult reading program), and volunteer work (Hospice, Canyon Lake Senior Citizens gardener, kids fair, and Journey Museum).

Claire graduated from a three year nursing program at the Hamlin-Asbury Hospital School of Nursing at St. Paul, MN. Her roommate there, Marian Stambaugh, introduced Claire to her sailor brother, Maurice, and a month before she graduated on August 6, 1947, Claire married Maurice Stambaugh in a double wedding ceremony with her sister, MaryAnn and Jack Wells.

Claire and Maurice raised their five children, Sharon, Gerry, John, Randy, and Brian, on a dairy farm near Nisland, SD. Claire didn't work in her nursing career for 17 years as she raised her family. She then worked part-time at John Burns Hospital in Belle Fourche. After moving from the farm in 1971, her nursing career at various times included Rapid City Regional Hospital, a dermatology clinic, dialysis, and River Park Treatment Center.

Woven into all her other interests and activities was a love of the Black Hills. She went backpacking in the Black Hills with her grandkids at age 70 - no tent! Another adventure was tubing Rapid Creek with the grandkids at age 72. A beautiful garden, a walk through the Hills, a decorated sugar cookie, or a handful of just-picked berries will always remind us of Mom/Granny.

Survivors include her children, Sharon (Steve) Bostic, Mesa, AZ, Gerry (Ray) Dockter, Baldwin, ND, John (Robin) Stambaugh, Rapid City, SD, Randy (Kaye) Stambaugh, San Diego, CA, and Brian (Linda) Stambaugh, Newell, SD; one brother, Jim Wendelken, Littleton, CO; one sister, Mary Ann (Jack) Wells, Belle Fourche, SD; ten grandchildren; and fourteen great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Maurice; and one sister, Sara Horman.

Visitation will be Sunday, May 17, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.

Memorial services will be held Monday, May 18, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. at the United Church of Christ in Belle Fourche with Pastor Jeff Otterman officiating. Inurnment will follow at Pine Lawn Memorial Park in Rapid City.

A memorial has been established to Alzheimer's Association.

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