Stanley C. Van Ness

Stanley and Bill Gural were the best people I ever worked for, and set the standard for me when I went to a leadership role. I visited Stanley's grave recently, and it gave me a sense of peace.

Uncle Carl you will soley be missed your newphew Thomas Grice Jr.

Stanley was the original "Gentle Giant"; humble, kind, wise and always available to anyone who sought him out for assistance. He was my dear boss for over 10 years. Stanley was a mensch. Sincere condolences to Eileen, David, Brian, Elizabeth and her family. I know how much he loved his family and how all who knew him, will miss him terribly.

I was saddened to learn of the loss of Stan. He was a longtime friend of my family through my Dad, who was an accountant in Princeton. My family had the highest respect for Stan and his accomplishments. He was also very helpful to me when I interviewed with him for a summer internship position in 1981 with the Office of Citizen Complaints (part of the Public Advocate's Office). On behalf of my parents and myself, please accept my family's condolence.

In the Summer of 1974, I was a recently admitted lawyer working on a bill to modernize child protection in New Jersey. One day I was escorted into the office of Public Defender Stanley Van Ness, somewhat terrified in the presence of a man who was already a hero in public service. I had to tell him that the Legislature was considering, and would likely pass, a bill requiring the Public Defender to provide legal representation for children who were victims of child abuse or neglect - a far...

Stan was gentle, he was humble and without airs, yet his human values were rock hard. He was the kind of straight arrow that was always on target. Humans of his caliber don't appear too frequently. His passing is a loss to our civic society.

I first met Stan, as we called him, back in 1973 at the Public Defender's Office. He made the OPD what is is today. He was a mentor and I will always call him my friend. Stan was a true champion for the rights of so many people over the years and he will be missed by all he touched by his good works and deeds. Stan, thanks for the memories.

My most sincere condlences to the family of Stanley.

Stan was long-time friend. We went to Rutgers together in the class of 1955. We graduated as 2nd Lieutenants from the Rutgers Air Force ROTC. We were in navigation school together in Houston, Texas and we met in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean [in the Azores]. I will never forget that day in 1956 when Stan entered our navigation school glass in Texas and all of the Southerners moved to the other side of the room not wanting to be in class with a black man. By the end of the course, they...