Jr, E. Stansbury

James Edward Stansbury, Jr., 97, of Petersburg died on Thursday, April 16, 2009. Stan was born in King William Co., VA to a well to do, but restless family. He with his mom (Edmonia), brother (Harry) and two sisters (Mary and â??Tootsâ?) moved from place to place as his father built canning factories up and down the eastern seaboard from NY to Cuba. His fatherâ??s fateful decision to cash in on the Florida land boom after WWI brought Stan to the rural town of Sopchoppy. This provided him with some thrilling youthful tales of the varied life on the less traveled parts of the Florida Gulf Coast. These have become family legends for his two children, Jim and Linda, two grandchildren (Jeff and Cristal) and five great-grandchildren (Brandon, Sally, Henry, Ethan and Zack in that order.) The crash of 1929 introduced the family to hit hard times and it was the incentive that around 1931 launched a young high school graduate on a 30 year Army career. Stan did not stay long in the enlisted ranks. He graduated from OCS as a new 2LT in 1932 and once again traveled the country from Florida to Alaska with a stop in Texas in 1943 that resulted in a 66 year marriage to Mildred. A son joined the family in Houston and shortly thereafter mom and son arrived in Okinawa with the first group of dependents to accompany the allied occupation forces at the end of WWII. On a return assignment to Ft. Bliss near El Paso the family was joined by a daughter. Next there was an unaccompanied detour to the Korean War where he served honorably as a petroleum supply officer. Next it was off to Ft. Lewis, WA, Japan, Ft. Lee, VA and finally an assignment to Stuttgart Germany where he retired as a Lt Col in 1961. After that, he returned to the Ft. Lee area which has been his home until now. After completing 20 more years of Federal civilian service, he retired from Ft Lee at the age of 70 after serving many years as their chief of the Plans, Training and Security Directorate. He did not stay idle after retirement. Golf was a passion until about a year ago, and there is a hole-in-one trophy for hole #3 at the Ft. Lee course to show for it. He is a member of the Faith Lutheran Parish, was a past president of the Prince George Lions Club, past president of the Ft. Lee/Richmond chapter #72 National Sojourners, Scottish Rite Mason for over 40 years, Powhatan Starke Lodge 124, member of Retired Officers Association and so on. Finally, he just wore out. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mildred Leah Stansbury; son, James E. Stansbury, III (Barbara) of Waverly, VA; daughter, Linda K. Stansbury of Greensboro, NC; grandson, Jeffery Miller (Jennifer) of Bremerton, WA; granddaughter, J. Cristal Crosby (Blake); great grandchildren, Sally and Henry Miller, Brandon, Ethan and Zachary Crosby; sister, Mary Stansbury Butera of Sopchoppy, FL; sisters-in-law, Helen Stansbury of Savannah, GA and Dorothy Frey of Los Angeles, CA and many long time good friends such as Carl Keller, Jim Nolan, Dean Angel and too many more to mention here. Masonic rites will be held be held at 6 pm tonight, April 17, 2009 at the Petersburg Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home & Cremation Service. The family will receive friends following the Masonic service until 8 pm at the funeral home. A graveside service with full military honors will be held at 11 am on Saturday, April 18, 2009 at Southlawn Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, 5001 West Broad Street, Suite 217, Richmond, VA 23230. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com .