Thomas Stanton

Long time Alexandria attorney and avid sailor Thomas J. Stanton passed away peacefully on February 02, 2026, at the age of 84 in the company of his wife and children.

Born May 10, 1941, to John and Josephine, Stanton grew up on the South Side of Chicago. After graduating from St. Leo High School, Stanton attended the University of Chicago. During his undergraduate studies, Stanton briefly followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a reporter for the City News Bureau where he covered crime and other breaking news. While Stanton always loved the news business, it would not be his future. Following graduation in 1964, Stanton moved to Washington, D.C., to attend the Georgetown University Law Center.

The decision to attend law school was a fateful one. After taking the LSAT, Stanton decided to attend a party where he met Jill Diane Roberts. The two would soon fall in love, and were wed in 1967 following Stanton's graduation from law school.

Over the following four decades Stanton would establish himself as one of the region's top lawyers specializing in bankruptcy law. Stanton hung his shingle in Alexandria soon after graduation and worked in private practice until 1983 when he was appointed the Director of the Department of Justice's U.S. Trustee Program. Over the next six years, Stanton would reform the office and lead it into the then nascent computer age.

Stanton returned to private practice in 1989, first with the firm of Leonard, Ralston, Stanton and Danks in Georgetown before returning to Alexandria. Over the next 30 years, Stanton would continue to work in bankruptcy law as well as serving as the outside counsel to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Stanton's professional resume is a small part of his story. A lifelong Catholic, Stanton was deeply empathetic and generous. He was a member of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, was a leader of the local boy scout troop, often working pro bono for clients in need and was a father figure for many of his children's friends. Visitors to his home were never really guests but instead were treated as family with a warmth and kindness he would instill in his children.

While Stanton could often be found puttering around his yard, he was happiest on the water. Growing up on Lake Michigan, Stanton developed a fascination with boats early on, and as an adult, he would spend every spare moment on the water. While raising their children, the Stantons sailed out of Solomon's Island and Annapolis.

But the New England coast held a special fascination for Stanton, and in later life he would regularly take his boat north at the end of spring. The cooler waters and winds of the north Atlantic coast suited Stanton and were a perfect environment for his prodigious collection of handmade wool Irish sweaters.

But in his later years even sailing was eclipsed by his love of his two grandchildren, Ella and Adeline. Papa was devoted to them, spending long weeks on the water with them, visiting museums, and going on various adventures. He took great pride in their achievements large and small, and his face would light up whenever they were near.

He is survived by his wife Jill, his children Christine (Alexander) Lupo and John, and his grandchildren Eleanora and Adeline Lupo.

A funeral service will be held at the Basilica of St. Mary in Old Town Alexandria on February 10 at 10:30 am.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the National Capital Area Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.