Stella LePay

Stella Helen LePay, 96, of Sioux City, Iowa passed away at her home on Monday, March 7, 2016 surrounded by her loving family. Funeral Services will be at 10:30am, Friday, March 11, 2016 at the Church of Nativity. Fr. Steven McLoud will officiate. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00pm to 8:00pm Thursday at the Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home. A parish vigil service will be prayed at 7:00pm
Stella was born on May 25, 1919 in Sioux City. She was the daughter of Paul and Wladyslawa “Anna” Shpakowsky. She was educated in the Sioux City School system and in schools in Belarus, Russia. Paul and Anna had one son John born in Russia then the family came to the United States to look for a better life. The rest of Stella’s siblings were born in the U.S., they were Adam, Bernice and Mary. The family moved back to Russia for 4 years before returning once again to the U.S. They settled in the South Bottoms area of Sioux City before moving to Morningside section of the city. On April 18, 1942, she married Walter V. LePay in South Sioux City, NE, to this union was blessed with four children, Christine, Baby LePay, William and Mary Jean. Walter passed away on August 1, 1988 in Sioux City, Iowa. She was a former member of St. Francis Catholic Church and currently attended the Church of Nativity. Stella enjoyed cooking and baking, and crocheting numerous afghans for family. She loved spending time with her family especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
She is survived by 3 children, Christine (Ron) Coleman of Sioux City, William (Cynthia) LePay of Sioux City, Mary Jean LePay of Sioux City, 3 grandchildren, Kara (Nicholas) Obbink, Katie (Kevin) Sievers and Zachary LePay, 3 great grandchildren Miles and Stella Obbink and Kylie Sievers, many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and infant daughter, her brothers, John and Adam and her sister, Bernice and Mary. She will be dearly missed by all.