Larry Lee Stanley, age 73 died in Shenandoah, Iowa, on April 6, 2006. Larry was born September 24, 1932 in Thurman, Iowa, the son of Glen and Blanche (Isom) Stanley, and he grew up in the Thurman area. Larry's father passed away at an early age, and Larry enjoyed the blessings of being part of a small close-knit community and a loving extended family. He graduated from Thurman High School in 1950, where he participated in several sports, and earned All State Football and Basketball honors. He was also selected to All State Chorus and enjoyed American Legion baseball as well. He spent his summers working in the Jack Stanley Company rock quarries where his late father had worked and where his uncles continued to work.
Larry attended Doane College for one year, and then entered the United States Army and graduated from Officers Candidate School in 1954. He married Joan Elaine Brady of O'Neill, Nebraska on January 16, 1954. They had met while attending Doane College. The Army took Larry and Joan to posts in Georgia, North Carolina, and Oklahoma. Following his discharge from the Army, Larry entered Iowa State University, and graduated with honors in 1958 with a degree in Civil Engineering. He took his first job as Assistant City Engineer in Fairfield, Iowa, and was appointed City Manager shortly after. After three years in Fairfield, he accepted a position with Iowa Power and Light in Des Moines. Three years later, he became Housing and Products Engineer for Portland Cement Association, and then accepted employment as Chief Engineer with Dur-O-Wal International, a company with plants throughout the United States and Canada. Wishing to stay closer to home, Larry became Sales Manager for Iowa-Illinois Concrete Products in Davenport, Iowa. During these years Larry and a small group of men invented and patented a concrete block curing machine, which they named "Cyclamatic". The invention was patented in the United States and Canada, and was later sold. Eventually, Larry returned to the family business that had been started by the Stanley Brothers, Jack, Glen, Wayne and Phil, and moved to Shenandoah. He became Sales Manager and then President of Jack Stanley Company, Inc. Following the closing of Jack Stanley Company, Larry opened his own business, Stanley Materials and Construction, which he operated for several years. His last position prior to retirement was Executive Director of The Masonry Institute of Iowa in Des Moines, Iowa.
Larry was a member of many professional organizations including the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Iowa State Engineers Society, and the American Concrete Institute. He was Chairman of the Design and Construction Committee of the National Concrete Institute, and a Director of the Iowa Concrete Masonry Association. He was a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Iowa. Larry was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Shenandoah, and a past member of the Shenandoah Chamber of Commerce and the Shenandoah High School Booster Club. He was a lover of sports. He enjoyed many years of participating himself, and then watching his children and grandchildren participate. In his declining years, televised sports were the highlight of his days. And as always, his family was most important.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Glen and Blanche (Isom) Stanley. Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Joan (Brady) Stanley whose unfailing love sustained him through these last few years and his sister Shirley and her husband, Ted Hall of Toledo, Iowa. He is also survived by his daughter Lisa Brunk and husband Lou of Farragut, Iowa; his sons, Dr. Matthew Stanley and wife Susan of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Mark Stanley and wife Angela of Glenwood, Iowa; grandchildren Zachary Smiley and his wife Jamie of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Jordan Franks; Alexandra, Samantha, Elaina and Brett Stanley; Mitchell, Erin, and Trey Stanley; great-grandchildren Este and Tatum Smiley; brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Judy Brady; brother-in-law Marvin Richter; brother-in-law Dean VanEvery: and sister-in-law, Sharon Brady; many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.
Memorial services were held on Wednesday, April 12, 2006, at 11:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Shenandoah. Words of comfort were given by the Rev. Rick Sleyster.