STANSBERRY, Claude Earl "Stan" 1927-2012

STANSBERRY, MOBLEY, STEWART

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 7/1/2018 at 16:25:12

#1:

Claude Earl "Stan" Stansberry

January 26, 1927 - April 11, 2012

Claude Earl (Stan) Stansberry was born at his family home in Sioux City, Iowa on January 26, 1927. The sixth of eight children, his parents were Arthur Sells Stansberry and Lulu (Mobley). He was preceded in death by his mother, father and siblings Lucy, Sara, Rosanna, Jonathan, Rex, Lulubelle (Les), and Arthur, his father-in-law and mother-in-law Mervyn and Bess Stewart, daughter-in-law Sally Stansberry, and granddaughter Eileen Gretchen Burd.

At the age of three, Claude and three of his siblings went to live at the Boys and Girls Home in Sioux City when his father became ill with cancer. He lived at the home until he was 13 years old. He attended Iowa State Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where he not only received his bachelor’s degree, but met his future bride, Mary Stewart. Claude subsequently received a Masters in Education from Iowa State Teacher’s College, and his Doctorate in Education from the University of Colorado in 1971.

Claude and Mary were united in marriage at the Methodist Church in Charles City, Iowa, on July 31, 1946, and lived their lives providing an example of devotion, working side-by-side toward common goals, and living their lives as followers of Jesus Christ.

Claude is survived by his wife Mary, six children: James Stansberry (Elizabeth); Jeanette Fritzler (Ron); Patricia Sparks (Greg); Teresa Burd; John Stansberry; Dee Woodward (Pete); 10 grandchildren; and 5 great grandchildren. Communities the family have called home are: Osage, Iowa, Carlisle, Iowa, Torrance, California, Littleton, Colorado, and Loveland, Colorado.

Claude became the Assistant Superintendent in the Thompson R2J School District in 1963 and was named Superintendent in 1969. He served R2J during a time of great expansion when it grew from 11 schools to 22 . Two more schools were under construction when he left the district in 1980. While serving the district, Claude worked in cooperation with Estes Park and Poudre schools toward building the Vocational Technical High School (now known as Front Range Community College).

Claude was a charter member of Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE) and served as the president of the Department of General Administrators, CASE legislative committee, and the Colorado Department of Education Advisory Committee on Special Education. Additionally, he served as a visiting professor at the University of Colorado. Claude worked with two Boards of Cooperative Educational Services. In 1982, Stansberry Elementary School in Loveland was named in honor of Claude. In retirement he became an EMT and worked as a volunteer at Swedish Medical Center in Denver.

He was an Army veteran, a member of the Lions Club, and the Loveland Rotary Club. He was a member of Faith Church in Loveland, Colorado and had attended Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch for 23 years before moving back to Loveland.

Reading, hiking, fishing, camping, and travel were the things he enjoyed during his leisure time. In 1999, he and Mary moved to Amman, Jordan and had a role in administrating Whitman Academy, an English-speaking school for children of missionaries serving in Jordan, as well as helping to facilitate the schools licensure, enabling them to continue providing educational services.

Claude knew his eternal home was Heaven and he said he was ready to go and be with the Lord. His passing was peaceful and a powerful example of grace and strength. He will be greatly missed.
A memorial service will be held at Faith Church, 2707 North Wilson Ave., Loveland Colorado, at 11:00 a.m., Monday, April 16, 2012.

Interment plans are pending. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution in memory of Claude to: Pathways Hospice, the American Cancer Society, or Stansberry Elementary School in care of Kibbey Funeral Home, 1102 N. Lincoln Ave, Loveland, Colorado 80537

SOURCE: KibbeyFishburn.com website; Kibbey-Fishburn Funeral Home, Loveland, Colorado
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#2:

Former Loveland school superintendent leaves trail of respect, integrity Funeral for Claude Earl "Stan" Stansberry held at Faith Church

The family of Claude Stansberry, including his wife, Mary, center, and his children, smile as others share fond memories about him Monday during a celebration of life at Faith Church in Loveland.

Stansberry served as the superintendent in the Thompson School District from 1969 to 1980, and Stansberry Elementary School was named in honor of him. ( Jenny Sparks )

Though Claude Earl Stansberry died five days earlier, at 85, his words rang out Monday morning in the high ceiling of his beloved church.

His sons, Jim and John Stansberry, took turns reading from their father's personal history, a short autobiography he penned before his death April 11. Written in the first person, the memoir was accented by "I" statements or, in other words, "dad's voice," John Stansberry said.

And that voice told dozens upon dozens of family, longtime friends, community members, and current and former Thompson School District employees about the backdrop to a long and fruitful life.

A cornerstone of education in Northern Colorado and namesake of Loveland's Stansberry Elementary School, Claude "Stan" Stansberry was best known as the Thompson School District's superintendent starting in 1969. During his tenure, the district doubled its count from 11 to 22 schools; two more schools were in construction when he left the district in 1980.

Stansberry also collaborated with the Estes Park and Poudre school districts to launch the Vocational Technical High School that would become Front Range Community College.

"I must say, this man left a wonderful legacy, as a husband, a father, an educator and as a member of this church," said Tim Philibosian, a pastor at Stansberry's place of worship, Faith Church.

Sixth of eight children, Stansberry was born Jan. 26, 1927, in his family home in Sioux City, Iowa. When his father was diagnosed with cancer, the children were split up among those willing to take them in. Stansberry would live at the Boys and Girls Home in Sioux City until he was 13.

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Though his parents received the equivalent of a sixth-grade education, John Stansberry read from his father's words, Claude Stansberry would go on to earn in 1971 his doctorate in education from the University of Colorado.

Prior to that, Stansberry enrolled at Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where he earned his bachelor's degree. But it wasn't the education that made him the man he became.

It was his wife, Mary, for whom he would wait eagerly outside her dormitory. It was Mary he serenaded, singing Bing Crosby's "Swinging on a Star." And it was there, in school, he "made the best decision of my life, to fall in love with her," Jim Stansberry read, his voice cracking as his father's voice, too, was silenced as his story came to an end.

Monday's memorial wasn't all tears, however. Small smiles crept onto solemn faces and full-bodied laughs escaped as attendees shared fond memories of the man they knew as Stan.

There was a time when Stansberry appeared suddenly in Gil Garcia's band class at Loveland High School and picked up a pair of drumsticks. When Garcia, the school's band director from 1973 to a "long time," asked if Stansberry needed anything, Stansberry said no, laid the drumsticks down and walked out without explanation.

Grant Waaler, principal at Stansberry Elementary School, said Stansberry would come to the school to replace stubby pencils with new, sharp ones and distribute dictionaries to the third-graders with the Loveland Rotary Club.

He and Mary Stansberry even led the bunny hop at a sock hop last fall celebrating the school's 30th anniversary.

In his absence, the school will continue those expectations set forth by the gracious man, Waaler said..

"He was a caring, devoted, funny man, and a dedicated educator, and I think if you knew him at all, you knew how important education was," he said.

"He was a man of power and actions. ... Principles ruled his life," said Pete Woodward, who married Stansberry's daughter, Dee.

Reading a handful of Stansberry family memories, Woodward ended with: "Dad was a model of integrity and hard work. People looked up to dad, and so did I."

Madeline Novey can be reached at 669-5050, ext. 516, or mnovey@reporter-herald.com

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Claude Earl "Stan" Stansberry

Lived Jan. 26, 1927-April 11, 2012. His wife, Mary, six children, 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren survive him.

Born the sixth of eight children in Sioux City, Iowa.

Married Mary Stewart at Methodist Church in Charles City, Iowa, July 31, 1946.

Named Thompson School District's assistant superintendent in 1963 and superintendent in 1969. He left the district in 1980 after growing TSD from 11 to 22 schools.

Collaborated with leaders of Estes Park and Poudre school districts to form the Vocational Technical High School, known now as Front Range Community College.

Those who knew him said he was a man of God, principled, "a teacher of teachers," funny and well-respected.

SOURCE: By Madeline Novey Reporter-Herald Staff Writer; Posted: 04/16/2012 -- www.reporterherald.com

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