Stanley Andrew Marko

Stanley Andrew Marko, age 92, died peacefully on October 26, 2024, at his home in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

He was born January 24, 1932, in Great Falls, Montana, to Andrew and Helen, and grew up on a farm in the Stockett area. When Stan attended high school, he helped win the District Championship in 1950 with the Centerville Minors basketball team.

After high school, Stan enlisted in the Navy and served as a dental technician from 1951 through 1954.  He was first stationed at the Bremerton WA Naval Shipyard, and later aboard the USS Kearsarge and USS Rendova aircraft carriers. On November 1, 1952, Stan, along with the crew were on the flight deck when his ship participated in the first U.S. hydrogen bomb test ‘Ivy-Mike.’ The ship was approximately 30 miles from the explosion and he described the heat wave as “intense, like a blowtorch.” Two weeks later, his ship participated in another nuclear test, ‘Ivy-King,’ a fission atomic bomb. This time, his ship was located 12 miles away.

After being honorably discharged, he used the G.I. Bill to attend college. He graduated Magna Cum Laude at the Great Falls College with a BS Degree in 1958. Stan continued his Master Studies at New Mexico State University for three years, and then moved to Salt Lake City in 1961 to work as a Quality Control & Computer Programmer for Hercules Inc. In 1965, he came to the Idaho National Engineering Lab and worked as a Computer Programmer and Manager.  He also received his MBA from the University of Idaho in 1972.

Stan’s first marriage was in 1957 to Donna McAllister from Geyser, Montana. They had seven children, Jana, Tom, Laura, Scott, Colette, John, and Paul.

Stan enjoyed square dancing, teaching marketing, scouting, coaching youth sports, cross country skiing, photography, gardening, and traveling. He was also involved with the Cursillo group for personal spiritual development.

After Stan retired in 1995, he became a Master Gardener where he volunteered for many projects around Idaho Falls and provided countless advice at the Extension booth at the Idaho State Fair.

In 1996, Stan married Amy Shambaugh, and together they spent 28 years of traveling, spending time with family, and creating an extraordinary home and garden.

Stan is survived by his wife, Amy, his seven children, and many cherished grandchildren and great grandchildren, as well as his sister, Evelyn Stucker of Great Falls, MT. He was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Helen, and his brother-in-law, Bruce.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, November 8, 2024, at Holy Rosary Church, 905 S. Lee.  Military Honors will be performed by the Bonneville County Veterans Memorial Team and the Navy Honor Guard. A Rosary will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Wood Funeral Home East Side, 963 S. Ammon, with a visitation to follow until 8 p.m. A cremation burial at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Great Falls, Montana, will be held at a later date in 2025.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a charity of your choice.