Ken Staninger

Missoula native, Ken Staninger died January 26, 2013 at his Grant Creek home at the age of 63 after a 5 month battle with cancer. Some of his family, local and out-of-state friends, and past & present athletes arrived in time to thank, comfort, and say good-bye.

Ken was born to the late Kenneth (Bucko) and Beatrice (Beach) Staninger on May 15th 1949. He attended Cold Springs Grade School and Sentinel High School where he was captain of the football, basketball & track teams his senior year. Ken went to Spokane Community College in Washington on a full athletic scholarship. He was captain & starting quarterback of Spokane's undefeated football team singling him out as an Associated Press choice for Junior College All-American in 1968. In June 2012 his team was inducted into the National Junior College Hall of Fame & he also was individually inducted into the Hall of Fame at Spokane Community College. He attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins, graduating with a Major in Business Marketing attending on a full NCAA Scholarship. His football career was cut short by a severe motorcycle accident.

He met Mary Monahan of Little Falls, Minnesota and they married on November 26th, 1977 and recently celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. From their union they have two sons Brett, 32 & Ryan, 28.

Throughout his life Ken had several business. He worked as a real estate agent and land developer. He was a sports agent for professional NFL & CFL football players and coaches. Ken was also a part owner in Valley Vending & Montana Coffee Express. In the latter years these business were run simultaneously.

Ken started his real estate profession in 1972 when be became affiliated with Security Agency. By 1974 he had excelled to the point that his peers recognized him as the Missoula Salesman of the Year. In 1977 Ken established his own firm Staninger & Associates and by 1980 the firm had grown to a sales staff of 14 with two branch offices despite the downturn in the economy. In 1984 Ken started Properties 2000 which still operates today as one of Missoula's leading real estate brokerages.

In 1980 Ken turned his passion for football into a new business when he began Staninger Sports Agency. That year he signed his first client from the University of Montana, Guy Bingham. Ken prided himself on representing athletes from the northwest, which he did successfully for 33 years. Ken had an impact on both the NFL & CFL organizations where he negotiated record setting contracts for his respective clients on multiple occasions. He was endeared by many of the general managers, coaches, scouts, and most of all his players who appreciated his honesty, integrity, and straightforward approach along with an occasional package of elk jerky. In 2010 Ken rebranded the sports agency as Stinger Sports Group.

Ken had a very strong work ethic and put his whole-self into everything that he pursued. In addition to his school sports he also enjoyed playing softball, hockey, waterskiing, downhill skiing, tennis, squash, racquetball; Ken even rode saddle bronc horses in the KOA Rodeo. Throughout his life he announced the horse races at the county fair, announced football games, provided color-commentary for the Grizzly's, coached youth sports, and was a pilot. He followed his sons to every one of their sporting events and still found time to hunt & fish with his sons and friends. Ken was a passionate Grizzly Athletics supporter and attended most every game unless he was away recruiting new professional football players or was out of town in attending client's games.

Ken started the Missoula Hockey Club, "The Missoula Flying Mules", where he played goalie. He had quick hand-eye coordination, but the one thing he could not do was ice skate. Ken was the catalyst that helped build the new concession-stand, locker-rooms, bath rooms, re-surfaced track, and brought new stadium lights to the football field at the Missoula County Stadium on the Big Sky High School campus. The new facilities were made possible by his fund-raising efforts and organizing donated labor. Due to this contribution and being a professional sports agent Ken was honored as Ray Rocene Sportsman-of-the-Year in 1999. Ken was involved in many civic organizations, taught real estate classes, served on the board of Western State Insurance and spoke annually at the Entertainment Management class at the University of Montana.


Ken lived his life to the fullest and was a great father, husband, and friend with exceptional attributes. Ken was also known to his friends as "Stinger", "Stanley", and "Bull of the Woods". He is survived by his wife Mary, his son Brett (wife Kimberly) and their children Reece, Addison & Austin of Renton, WA and son Ryan Staninger of Portland, OR. Ken is survived by his sister Judy Gurnsey (Wayne) and nephew Josh Wood (Andrea) and their children Kesley and Cameron of Bozeman, MT. He is survived by his uncle and aunt Byron & Pauline Bayers of Twin Bridges, MT, and 99 year old aunt Helen Paige of Philipsburg, MT as well as many cousins from the Bayers, Rossiter, Ellig, Lemm, Good, & Paige families on his mothers side. He is also survived by the Tiedeman, Hoagan, and McCune cousins on is father side of the family. He is survived by his sister in laws, brother in laws, nieces and nephews from the Monahan, Hawkinson, Adams, and Lieble families on Mary's side of the family. He is survived by innumerable friends, business associates and past & present football players throughout the United States.

He is preceded in death by his parents Beach & Bucko Staninger, several aunts & uncles, two cousins, a niece & a brother-in-law and his fathers sisters Margaret Hogan, Mildred McCune, Cora Tiedeman.

Those wishing to make an expression of sympathy are asked to consider THE KEN STANINGER MEMORIAL FUND that the Staninger family has established. Ken strongly believed in supporting and investing in the community. With Ken's spirit in mind, donations to this fund will be allocated to support local athletics & cancer programs in the Missoula Valley. All donations will be tax deductible. Memorial gifts can be sent to the Ken Staninger Memorial Fund, c/o The Montana Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1145, Helena, MT 59624. Checks for this memorial will also be collected at FIRST SECURITY BANK - 1704 Dearborn, Missoula, MT 59801. In addition to the memorial fund, the Judy & Ron Paige family and the Gail & Wyley Good family have established the "Ken Staninger Football Scholarship" at the University of Montana. Donations for the "Ken Staninger Football Scholarship" will be accepted at the University of Montana Foundation.
The memorial service will be Saturday, February 2nd at 2:00pm located at the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center on North Reserve Street.

Ken's obituary can also be viewed at www.missoulafuneralhomes.com, where relatives and friends may review his obituary and leave a note of remembrance. Garden City Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.



Read Ken Staninger's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.