Stanley R. Hoke

Stanley (Stan) Ralph Hoke, 85, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was received into eternity by his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on December 14, 2025. He was a beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend and will be deeply missed.

Stan was born in Avilla, Indiana on February 1, 1940 to Ralph and Joanna Hoke. He attended boarding school at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania and later Greenville College (now University) in Greenville, Illinois where he met the love of his life, Carol Rasche, who served as campus nurse. They wed the summer following graduation and were happily married for 64 years!

Stan worked as a clinical chemist at Marion County General Hospital (which became Wishard Memorial Hospital, now Eskenazi Health) for 34 years. He was a genius, quite literally according to a Mensa test, and a perfectionist!

God gifted Stan with a beautifully mellow baritone voice which he often used to sing solos and in duets and quartets. He loved music (especially bluegrass) so much that, in his later years, he was moved to tears when hearing the first notes of a song! Stan served faithfully as church elder, Sunday school teacher, choir director and Bible quiz coach. He was passionate about good theology and protecting the unborn.

Stan was an avid birder who kept a “life list” of all the different species he’d spotted. He was also a huge Chicago Cubs fan and passed on his love of baseball to his son, Scott. He volunteered as a little league coach for many years and continued to play softball into his 60s!

Stan delighted in spending time with his grandkids, whether canoeing and fishing on Indian Lake, teaching them to split wood and build a fire, or helping them feed the birds. He loved being silly and making them laugh! His big strong hands could fix practically anything, and his gentle soul would make him misty-eyed while watching Hallmark commercials! He saw potential in everything and enjoyed collecting antiques in retirement, especially Aladdin lamps.

Stan is survived by his loving wife, Carol Hoke; sisters, Meredith Wollmann and Anita (Andy) Stoner; son, Scott Hoke; daughter, Lynda (Mark) Moss; grandchildren, Shelby Hoke, Lynette (Gabe) Teare, Daniel (Haley) Moss, Caroline (James) Purdom, Elisabeth Moss, and Kevin Hoke; great-grandsons, Jackson and Judah Teare, and great-granddaughter, Eleanor Joy Purdom, on the way!

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Life Centers at lifecenters.com.