Mr. Stanley Z. Feher, age 92, of Indian Wells, Calif., passed away on August 15, 2012, after a long illness. He was born in Akron, Ohio, July 17, 1920. As a small child, he moved with his parents, Alex and Goldie Feher; his brother, Jack; and sister, Molly - to the San Gabriel Valley area in California. He showed musical talent early in his life. In 1927 he became fascinated with the Garfield Theater orchestra in Alhambra, Calif., and began drum lessons with the orchestra drummer. In 1928 he began to learn accordion, followed by piano in 1929, and then vibraharp and xylophone in 1930. In the early 1930's Stan appeared with his accordion in several Hollywood film shorts with Mickey Rooney and The Dead End Kids. He was also a popular entertainer at high school assemblies in Alhambra. In his tenth - grade year at Alhambra High School, the family moved to Visalia, where Stanley graduated from Visalia Union High School in 1939; he then graduated from Visalia Junior College in 1941. Shortly after World War II started, Stan took a job at Mare Island Shipyard in Vallejo, Calif., as a ship fitter's helper for four months. He joined the Army Air Corps in September, 1942. In 1943 he was stationed in Victorville, Calif., where he met and married Marie Larson in 1944. They were married until her death in 1996. Stan was discharged from the Army Air Corps in January 1946, two days before his first son, Don, was born in Jerome, Ariz. In that same year he formed a quartet and played the accordion at the Green Frog Saloon on Whiskey Row in Prescott, Ariz., seven nights and a Sunday matinee every week. He went into the retail music business in Flagstaff, Ariz., from 1948 1955, selling a variety of instruments; he also taught accordion to over forty students at his Flagstaff store. Two more children were born in Cottonwood, Ariz., Janet in 1948, and Skip in 1950. In 1952, Stan and his family were baptized at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Flagstaff. The family moved to Santa Monica, Calif., in 1955, where Stan lived until he moved to Indian Wells in 1991. He owned several music stores in Inglewood, Calif., from 1955 to 1989 and specialized in Yamaha pianos and organs. He was honored by the Yamaha Piano Company as an outstanding dealer. In 1998, in Indian Wells, he met and married his wife Aini, who survives him. He is also survived by his sister, Molly; his children, Don, Janet, and Skip and their spouses; and three grandchildren, Joseph Van Riper, Ramona Van Riper, and Jon Feher. Services were held at Forest Lawn, followed by interment in Desert Memorial Park, Cathedral City, Calif. Arrangements are under the direction of Forest Lawn, Cathedral City, Calif.
