Stanley F. Platek

Services will be held at 1:30 pm Tuesday at the Canfield Christian Church for Stanley F. Platek, 88, of Canfield who passed away peacefully in his sleep Friday at his home. Stanley was born May 10, 1917 in Ellwood City, PA., the son of Peter and Caroline (Lawrence) Platek. He was a WWII Veteran with the Coast Guard, member of the Ellsworth V.F.W. Post, the Canfield Ruritan Club, the Mahoning Farm Bureau Cooperation and the church. Stanley retired as a branch manager with the Mahoning Farm Bureau after 28 years of service. Stanley was a well known musician in the Ohio / Pennsylvania area. He played banjo and bass for more than 70 years. He originally played with the Saddlemates, featured on KDKA Television in Pittsburgh. In the 40’s and 50’s he played for both WKBN and WFMJ, often broadcasting from the Idora Park Ballroom on WKBN. He was a member of the first band to open up the Pointview Dance Hall and also played at the Canfield Fair’s 100th Centennial. Throughout the years he played with the Johnny Rodick Band, the Jimmy Gunner Band, and the Danny Sapino Band. More recently Stanley played with “Fingers Butch” in a Dixieland band which would greet the guests aboard the paddlewheel boats on the Ohio River in Marietta Ohio. He continued playing music into the early 1990’s, visiting many nursing homes. “Stan” was a humble person, a jack-of-all-trades who loved people, and enjoyed traveling and nature. Most importantly, Stanley loved his family and friends and the time he spent with them. His wife, the former Martha “Millie” Cox, whom he married June 26, 1947 passed away February 14, 1996. Stanley leaves a daughter Carol (Jim) Swartz of San Martin CA, and one granddaughter Jenny (Chris) Bachelder of Santa Rosa CA., and a Nephew Stanley “Butch” (Sandra) Platek of The Village, FL. Besides his wife, one son Thomas Platek, three brothers Walter, John, and a twin who died at infancy, and two sisters Helen and Josephine Platek preceded Stanley in death. Family and friends may call from 4 to 6 pm Monday at the Lane Funeral Home Canfield Chapel and again from 12:30 until the time of services in the church.