Stanley VanCour
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, March 20, 2019Born: August 20, 1929
Died: March 17, 2019
Married: Millicent Bannerman, April 19, 1952
Children: Andrew (deceased) and Shelley
Stanley VanCour grew up in the 1930s and 1940s on his family's Mountain View Farm in Saranac Lake, a son of Joseph and Rose Harmer VanCour. He was a Korean War veteran, having served as a Navy corpsman and fighting in the four-day Battle of Inchon beginning on September 15, 1950. The battle involved 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels and led to the recapture of the South Korean capital Seoul two weeks later.
Stanley's older brothers Thomas and Edmund volunteered for the Navy during World War II and his brother Bernard was drafted into the Army.
Until recently, Stanley's family did not know about his active service in the war. He and his daughter were given an Honor Flight to see the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D. C., on September 10, 2016.
See the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, September 17, 2016, for the full story of Stanley's service.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, March 20, 2019
Stanley A. VanCour
Stanley VanCour, 89, of Lake Placid, passed away on Sunday, March 17, 2019.
Stan was the son of Joseph and Rose VanCour. He was born Aug. 20, 1929 in Saranac Lake and raised on the family farm known as Mountain View Farm. He was one of eight children. Memories of family life as a farm boy always remained close to his heart. Stan joined the U.S. Navy after graduating from Saranac Lake High School. He was eager to enlist, but graduating at 16 years old meant he had to wait to be of age to serve his country. Stan turned out to be a veteran of the Korean War. On Sept. 15, 1950 he was a crucial part of the Inchon Invasion which led to the recapture of the South Korean capital of Seoul. Being a quiet man he never shared his experiences of "The Forgotten War" until going on his Honor Flight on Sept. 10, 2016. The North Country Honor Flight provided him the opportunity to be with fellow veterans, see the memorials in Washington D.C. and to hear the words "thank you." He said, "It was the best day of his life." The Honor Flight opened the door for Stan to tell his story. For this his family will always be grateful.
After completing his time in the Navy, he returned home to marry Millicent Bannerman. He always knew he would marry Millie after meeting her. While he was in the service, they were avid pen pals. Stan and Millie were married on April 19, 1952. They enjoyed almost 67 happy years together. Stanley was the father of two children, Andrew and Shelley. He was a kind, loving husband and father. He was always there for his children providing guidance and support no matter how many times they may have stumbled in life. Stan held several jobs during his lifetime. He worked for The Country Cousin Greeting Card Company where he did silk screening for producing the cards. He was a longtime property caretaker for several properties in Lake Placid. Primarily, he was employed as a clerk by the U.S. Postal Service in Lake Placid. After retiring from the Post Office he was employed by the Village of Lake Placid working in the village parking lot selling tickets for parking and greeting visitors to the area.
Stanley is survived by his wife Millie; his daughter Shelley and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son Andrew; his son-in-law Leon Lamoy; his parents; his brothers Ralph VanCour, Ernest VanCour, Bernard VanCour, Edmund VanCour, Thomas VanCour, Ronald VanCour; and his sister Grace VanCour Douglas.
Stan truly lived his life by his beliefs which were to be forgiving, never judge others, and to be honest. He will be remembered as being a humble and gentle man. He loves God, his family, and his country.
We wish to send a heartfelt thank you to the entire staff at Mercy Living Center in Tupper Lake. Your wonderful care provided comfort not only for Stan, but also to his family.
