Stanley Dean Dorsch

Stanley Dean Dorsch

Washington

Stanley Dean Dorsch, age 74, of Washington, Iowa, passed away Thursday, January 16, 2025, at Halcyon House following a short illness.

Celebration of life services with a time of informal sharing will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 26, 2025, at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home. Interment will take place at Elm Grove Cemetery at a later date. It was Stan’s wish that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Speech Therapy Department at the University of Iowa or Washington Community School District. Online condolences may be sent for Stanley’s family at www.jonesfh.com.

Stanley was born March 8,1950, in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his parents, Alex and Betty (Rapp) Dorsch. His father had immigrated from Russia in 1912, and his mother was from Peoria, Illinois. Stan is survived by brother Gary and wife Jennie (Parriott) Dorsch of Lyons, Colorado and nephew Jeff Dorsch. “Uncle Stan” is also survived by many “adoptive” nieces and nephews that are the children of friends.

Stan was the consummate “car guy”, beginning in grade school and through his passing. His passion for cars was rooted with his father, Alex, who was a skilled mechanic at the Stewart and Crone Pontiac-Buick dealership. Nearly every day after school, Stan would visit his dad at work and became fascinated with the workings of mechanics, body technicians, sales staff, and customers. He especially looked forward to the days when the transports unloaded the beautiful cars of that time. In later years, Stan enjoyed going on car rides which always involved stopping at local car lots.

He was very close to his father and often helped his creative dad with home shop projects, such as vintage Crosley engine overhauls, designing and building a garden tractor, a go-cart and a Buick V8-powered Ford F1 pickup. In later years, Stan built a couple of custom GMC pickups that were well respected by the hot rod and custom car community.

Stan’s love of cars was quickly recognized by other car people, and he was enthusiastically welcomed as one of them; and throughout his life his passion for cars and those who loved them never diminished. He has been acknowledged by many locally as an automotive historian, as he remembered in great detail every car of note in past and present years, and the people involved, be they street or race cars. Stan was known, liked, and respected by other car enthusiasts everywhere he went.

He also enjoyed studying the history of the town of Washington, in particular the construction and occupancy of our many historic businesses and homes. He was also interested in his family genealogy and the immigration to America of people from Germany and Russia.

Stan worked at Crane Valve in Washington, Iowa from 1968-2003, serving primarily in the foundry pattern shop where his creativity and mechanical skills were a huge asset. When Crane closed, he was employed by ACH Foam Technology, also in Washington, until retiring in 2012.