Gary William Stanley

Gary William Stanley, 73, was born on August 11th, 1950 in Natick, Massachusetts to Winston and Priscilla Stanley. He passed away on November 23rd, 2023 in Puyallup, Washington.

Gary was an adventurous man who lived and traveled all over the country. He grew up in Connecticut, and graduated from Masuk High in Monroe Connecticut in 1968. After high school he briefly lived in Florida until moving to Ohio in 1970, where he lived for 18 years. After Ohio, Gary moved to Vermont and stayed in New England, between Vermont, Massachusetts, and Maine, until he finally moved to Port Angeles, Washington in 2015, where he stayed for the rest of his life. Beyond this, his travels brought him to see the first sunrise at Acadia National Park, the redwoods of California, the canyon of Zion National Park, the geysers of Yellowstone, the red sands of Prince Edward Island, and so much more.

Gary will be remembered for the way he found beauty in all things and the lengths he took to share that beauty and joy with everyone around him. He had a passion for capturing the brilliance of wildlife and nature through his lens. He dedicated his career to professional wildlife and nature photography, traveling all over the country to bring the wonders of the natural world to life and to teach others how to do the same. His photographs were a testament to his skill and his deep appreciation for the beauty of earth. He instilled this same love of photography in his kids, bringing them along on many early morning hikes, long drives, and other adventures to get the perfect shot.

Beyond photography, Gary will be remembered for his wild sense of humor and unending imagination. He was affectionately called "Uncle Goofy" by his nieces and would tell jokes to anyone and everyone who would listen; no waiter, nurse, or neighbor was spared. His children can remember being put to bed with dozens of homemade stories of "the mischief monkeys" and participating in antics such as riding in a canoe strapped to the top of his van to surprise their family.

Gary will be deeply missed by his loved ones. He is survived by his children, Gary Stanley Jr. and his wife Jill, Devaney Carswell and her husband William, Fae Stanley, and Johanna Stanley-Browning and her wife Ashley. He also leaves behind his brother, Kevin Stanley, his half-brother Tom Stanley, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

At Gary's request there will be no formal memorial service, but he asks to be remembered by his love for his children and the joy he shared through his photography.