Stanley Davis Jr., who served as a teacher and administrator in the Brick Township school district for nearly 40 years and overcame personal tragedy to become the beloved patriarch of a large family in New Jersey and beyond, died Sunday, April 28, 2024 after a long illness. He was 88.
Stanley worked hard to find success in life after losing both parents at a young age, eventually serving as principal of Herbertsville Elementary School and Drum Point Elementary School from 1969 to 1996. He joined the Brick district as a teacher in 1958. He was a well-respected father-figure in the district who was known for his fairness and generosity.
Stanley was born in Glen Ridge and lived in Cedar Grove and Montclair for most of his childhood, graduating from Montclair High School in 1954 and, later, Upsala College in 1958. He got his master's degree from Rutgers University in 1965.
He was the first one in his family to not only attend college but also graduate. He also was an Eagle Scout.
Stanley grew up fast after losing his mother to kidney failure at the age of 8 and then losing his father to ALS at the age of 20. He would take his father, Stanley Davis Sr., to doctor's appointments as his condition worsened quickly and considerably, and then helped manage his care at his house in Montclair while he was a teenager. Stanley became a longtime advocate for ALS causes after his father died in 1956, and his hero was Lou Gehrig, who famously died of the disease. He was a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees.
Stanley served in the Army Reserve from 1955 to 1962 and was put on alert when the Berlin Wall was erected in 1961. He was honorably discharged as a junior sergeant.
He met Dorothy Winans in 1957 at Upsala and they married at Morristown Presbyterian Church in 1959. He spent considerable time caring for her--almost heroically keeping the family together---as she suffered from a debilitating illness from 1967 until her death in 2003. They were married for 43 years.
They raised and loved three children together in Point Pleasant Boro. All three survive him: Carolyn Delp of Wall Township, New Jersey; Edward Davis (Jennifer Blades) of Catonsville, Maryland; and Thomas Davis (Kathleen Drinane Davis) of Metuchen, New Jersey. He is also survived by six grandchildren who treated him like a father-figure and enjoyed the efforts he made in being a part of their lives. They are: Danielle (Joe), Jeremy (Courtney), Tommy (Aimee), Jon, Sean, and Anna.
Stanley was a survivor who overcame a near-fatal illness in 2020 and worked hard to keep himself in shape even as he dealt with health-related issues involving his family and himself for decades.
He met Marilyn Burke in 2004 and, after a five-year courtship, they married in 2009 and lived together in Manchester and Ocean Grove until Marilyn's death in 2023. Marilyn was credited with bringing stability to Stanley's life. They were married for 14 years and enjoyed spending 10 winters on the beaches of Florida's Gulf Coast.
Stanley is also survived by two stepchildren, Judy Burke of Atlantic Highlands and Linda Burke of Union Township as well as two step-grandchildren, James and Julia.
A viewing will be held Friday, May 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Colonial Funeral Home, 2170 Highway 88, Brick, where at 7 p.m. a service will be held. Also, a viewing will be from 10 - 11 a.m. Saturday, May 4, at the funeral home, where at 11 a.m. a service will be conducted. Entombment will follow at Ocean County Memorial Park, Toms River.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the ALS Association www.als.org
Tributes and condolences are welcome at www.colonialfuneralgroup.com
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