US Navy Beach Jumpers Assoc.

RD2 Eugene Stanley BJU-2 1957-59 d. 11-20-2022 “Fair winds and following seas”

U.S. Navy Beach Jumpers Association (727) 4-USNBJA

Website by R-Havekost

Turbo Vestri Hostilis’

Penacook, NH - Eugene "Gene" Stanley died on Sunday, November 20th, 2022 at Pleasant View Center in Concord, NH after a challenging battle with lung cancer. He was 86. Gene was born on June 16th, 1936 in Burlington, VT to parents Robert and Marguerite (Bergman) Stanley. Growing up, he lived in Burlington, South Portland, ME and Norwich, CT. He graduated from Norwich Free Academy in 1954. Upon graduation he entered the United States Navy, serving from 1955 to 1959. He was particularly proud of his involvement in the Beach Jumper Unit as part of the Naval Special Warfare Group. In 1959 he married his life-long partner Lois (Hartwell) Stanley. They settled in Willimantic, CT. Together they had four sons, Eric, Kurt, Karl and Christopher. Gene graduated from Willimantic State College (now Eastern Connecticut St. University) in 1965 with a BA in Communications. He would then embark on his primary career in communications. He was hired by the University of Connecticut in their Communications Dept. In 1968 he took a job with the University of Illinois in their Communications Dept, moving the family to Champaign, IL. It was at this time that Gene reached local celebrity status as host of the noontime news segment "The Farm Report." In 1971 the family moved to Bellefonte, PA as Gene took a job at Penn State University. He continued his work in front of the camara as the host of Farm, Home and Garden on the local PBS station. In 1978 Gene received an MA in Communications from Penn State. He was a proud alumni and life-long Penn St football fan. In the fall of 1979 Gene took the job of Director of Public Relations at Buena Vista College (now University) in Storm Lake, IA. In 1986 the family moved to Pittsburgh PA as Gene took a position with the Presbyterian Foundation. In semi-retirement he fulfilled his alter-ego dream of becoming a semi-trailer truck driver. He later drove tour buses in the Pittsburg area, relating stories of conversations with sports figures on the way in the from the airport. Gene and Lois lived in the Mount Lebanon area of Pittsburgh until 2017 when they moved to be closer to their son Eric in Concord, NH. Gene was dedicated to his family, as he and Lois raised their four boys. He was a loving and caring father who was always there to provide support. Gene loved to spend time his 9 grandchildren, Gretchen, Parker, Preston, Ana, Kat, Garrett, Corinne, Roman and Sienna. Gene is predeceased by his parents and by his brother Bob. He was very close to his brother, enjoying getting together and dreaming big dreams. Gene is survived by his wife Lois of Penacook, NH, son Eric and his wife Lynn of Penacook, son Kurt and his wife Susan of Powell, OH, son Karl and his wife Kelli of Crown Point, IN and son Christopher and his wife Tally of Wauconda, IL. A Celebration of Life will by held in the Spring of 2023 followed by interment at Hope Cemetery in Waterbury, VT.