Wendy Dawn (Moe) Stapleton, 60, beloved wife, mother, nana, and dear friend passed away unexpectedly at her home in Oldham, SD on March 16, 2025.
A celebration of life service for Wendy Dawn Stapleton, will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, April 4, at Oldham Lutheran Church with Pastor Wanda Biel officiating.
The funeral service will be live streamed via the funeral home’s website.
Wendy blessed this world when she was born on March 14, 1965, to Glenn and Arlys (Dahl) Moe in Vermillion, SD. After Arlys’ sudden passing Glenn brought Wendy home to Arlington to be raised with the help and support of her extended family, which shaped the incredible woman that she became.
Throughout her school years, Wendy was active in many activities and social events, graduating from Arlington High School in 1983. Soon after she stepped into one of her greatest roles as a mother in April of 1985 with the birth of her daughter Amanda and then welcomed her son, Joseph in February 1988. Wendy met the love of her life, Terry, and together they welcomed a son, Jesse in May of 1993. She and Terry married on October 8, 1993, beginning a lifetime of love, adventure, and partnership.
Over the years, Wendy honed her skills in a variety of jobs, excelling in each with grit, hard work, and a lifelong love of learning. She worked at 3M, Rainbow Play Systems, and StarMark. She touched many little lives when she extended her home and her heart to doing daycare. She ended her career at Recaro Aircraft Seating out of Fort Worth, Texas where she found a passion for all things aviation.
Family was the heartbeat of Wendy’s life. She devoted all of her love into every moment spent with her husband, children, and grandchildren. She was talented in every way and loved nothing more than passing on her beloved traditions and talents to her children and grandchildren. She loved homemaking in all of its forms and never missed an opportunity to learn a new way to do something in the kitchen. Her compassion extended to animals of all kinds. She was passionate about giving a loving home to dogs who needed a second chance. Any dog in her home was a lucky one!
Wendy’s unwavering faith in the Lord guided her every step and gave deep purpose to her life. Anyone who met Wendy would tell you that she radiated kindness and made everyone feel welcomed and like family. This was such a rare and beautiful gift. Her kindness was not just a trait but a way of life, woven into everything she did. She found great joy in lifting others up and providing comfort when needed. The world is a little dimmer without her light, but the love she gave so freely will continue to shine in the hearts of all who were lucky enough to know her.
Left with an immense sadness is her loving husband, Terry Stapleton of Oldham, her children Amanda (Ryan) Hemmestad of Volga, Joseph Weiland of Brookings, Drew Carpenter of Cache, OK, and Jesse Stapleton of Oldham. Forever grateful for her love are her cherished grandchildren, Chloe, Zoe, Kyler, Leif, Lainey, and great grandchild, Athena.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel of Arlington, Lake Preston, Oldham.
