Deana Stano

Deana Jensen Stano passed away peacefully on January 10, 2024 in her home surrounded by family.  

Deana and her twin sister were born October 25, 1959 in Nyssa, Oregon.  Parents, Donald and Viva Mary Jensen, took their babies and returned to their home in Cambridge, Idaho.  There they completed the family with brothers Scott (7) and Craig (5).  

Donald worked for Idaho Power Company, which moved the family throughout Idaho.  Deana spent her grade school years in Payette.  Summers were spent swimming at the community pool.  Deana rode horses for the Payette Valley Riders and participated in 4H.  The family spent an abundant amount of time at their cabin in Cuprum, 40 miles NW of Council.  

The family moved to Boise while Deana was in middle school, then to Twin Falls for her high school years.  Deana spent the summer going into her senior year traveling throughout Europe.  After graduating from Twin Falls High School in 1978, she attended the University of Idaho where she was an active member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.  Once she completed her undergraduate work, she went on to receive her Master’s of Social Work from Our Lady of Lake University in San Antonio, Texas.  

Deana started her career which took her to the Idaho Youth Ranch in Burley.  There she worked with at-risk youth and their families.  After, she started her lengthy career at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center -  MSTI (Mountain States Tumor Institute).  She retired in 2012, after 24 years, mainly spent as a social worker in cancer care.  

Deana married the love of her life, Roger Stano on October 2, 1993.  They enjoyed a “huntermoon” at their cabin in Cuprum, Idaho, hunting elk, deer and grouse.  Deana was delighted and welcomed Roger’s children, Melissa (Bonney) and Robert (Stano).  

The couple shared a life full of hunting, fishing and gathering.  Along with the cabin in Idaho, they enjoyed their home in Cordova, Alaska.  Deana coined Cordova her “happy place.”  There they fished for salmon on the Eyak River and halibut on the Prince William Sound.  Deana and Roger relished in their love for fishing with family, especially as they were able to teach their four grandchildren how to fish.  

In the late 90s, Roger and Deana went on a dream trip to Zimbabwe, Africa where they took their love of hunting to a new level of big game, harvesting with the local villages a cape buffalo, zebra and water buck.

In more recent years, a particular highlight each summer was the SOB (Stano, O’hara, Bonney) camping trips to Deadwood.  All enjoyed fishing, swimming, cooking good food and, of course, the carrot cake.  

After retiring, Roger and Deana split their time between Alaska and Idaho.  Oftentimes, as soon as they returned home from Alaska in the fall, they rushed to Cuprum for hunting until Christmas when it was time to return to Boise to be with family.  They enjoyed their time with the kids and grandchildren - Adrianna (17) and Liam (13) Bonney and Claire (10) and Gio (6) Stano.  

Deana is survived by her husband, Roger; two stepchildren, Melissa (Shaun) Bonney and Bob Stano; four grandchildren; twin sister, Dawn Robbins; brother, Scott (Diana) Jensen; niece, Jennifer LeGault; and nephews, George Knaup and Scott (Buck) Jensen.  

The family would like to thank the St. Luke’s Hospice nurse Aly for her genuine care of Deana.  

Per her wishes, Deana’s ashes will be placed at a special spot in Cuprum and at the Veterans Cemetery - Boise, Idaho where Roger will also go when it is time.  A brief service will take place for family and close friends in June 2024.