Berlin

Roger Phillip Stanley, 87, passed away peacefully at Rose Monahan Hospice Home in Worcester on April 12, 2024, surrounded by his family. Roger was the devoted husband to Charlotte M. (Hebert) Stanley. The day of Roger's passing marked their 66th wedding anniversary.

Born on Jan 23, 1937, in Fawn River Township, Michigan, Roger was the third of ten children born to Wayne T. and Alberta J. (Ginther) Stanley. He spent his early years around the south-central Michigan city of Sturgis, MI. When Roger was a teen, his family moved west to Arizona, eventually settling in Phoenix. Roger and his siblings all helped run "Stanley's Snappy Service" gas station in Phoenix. Started by Roger's father Wayne, the gas station remained in family operations for decades and was a place several generations of the Stanley family worked. Roger graduated from St. Mary's High School in Phoenix and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1955. While in the service, Roger was stationed at Ft. Devens in Massachusetts. During this assignment, the young soldier was introduced to a local girl, Charlotte Hebert. The couple married on April 12, 1958, in Marlborough, MA.

Early in their marriage, Roger and Charlotte lived close to her family in Marlborough, and it's there that they had their first three children: Ken, Sue, and Colleen. In the mid-sixties, the family relocated from Marlborough to Phoenix, AZ, where they lived for several years surrounded by the extended Stanley family. Christina was born while the family lived in Phoenix. Some years later in the early 1970s, the family returned to the Marlborough area and settled in the town of Berlin, MA, where their youngest child, Theresa, was born.

Roger is remembered by his family for several things: He loved the outdoors, nature, hiking, and gardening; his yard was always full of birds attracted to his feeders and baths. Roger always loved a good joke and making people laugh, especially Charlotte. He would often tell a joke from the Liguorian Magazine after dinner and would hardly be able to get to the punch line because he would be laughing too hard. Lastly, Roger enjoyed food so much that he often documented the details of his meals in his daily journal. Roger loved every variety of pickles, he put ketchup on everything, and candy was one of his favorite food groups.

Roger spent much of his working life selling and supporting electronic components for several different companies. In a late career change, he took a role with UMass Medical Center helping with patient transportation. Roger loved this work and was well suited for it because of his congenial nature and care for others.

Roger and Charlotte have been longtime residents of Berlin and active parishioners of both St. Joseph the Good Provider Parish in Berlin and St. Rose of Lima Parish in Northborough. At St. Rose, Roger and Charlotte were active in issues of Peace and Justice, and members of the Pax Christi chapter.

Roger's greatest joy in life was his family, and when his children grew, married, and had children of their own, there was hardly a Sunday afternoon when their home on Pleasant St. wasn't filled with family. Having dress-up fashion shows, toasted marshmallow contests, and listening to Grandpa's "Whitefeather" stories were staples of these gatherings. Christmas sleepovers with a dozen cousins and cutthroat Yankee-swaps are core memories for these kids as they grew. Roger's large extended family would host reunions every 10 years starting in 1980. Phoenix, Seattle, Flagstaff, and Lake Tahoe were all locations that the family would converge on. Unfortunately, the 2020 reunion, which would have been hosted by Roger's family in Massachusetts, was canceled by the pandemic.

In addition to his beloved wife, Roger is survived by five children: Kenneth A. Stanley and his wife Maria of Barre, MA, Susan E. Miller and her husband Stephen of Medford, MA, Colleen M. Sweeney and her husband Kevin of Leicester, MA, Christina L. Polyak and her husband Sam of Belmont, MA, and Theresa K. McGoldrick and her husband Terence of North Attleboro, MA. Roger also leaves 15 grandchildren: Jessica Barrett (Justin), Matthew Stanley (Ashley), Emily Langer (Caleb), Jacob Stanley (Nicole), Daniel Miller (Jocelyn), Rachel Kroouze (David), Eric Sweeney (Christine), Catherine McKenzie (Kurt), Meghan Sweeney, Hanna, Alexander and Sophia Polyak, Aiden, Grace and Brendan McGoldrick. Roger also had 17 great-grandchildren: Juliette, Theodore and Tabitha Langer, Isaac and Eliza Barrett, Olivia, Luke and Joel Stanley, Thomas and Marie Stanley, Margaret Susan and Charlotte Kroouze, Corinne, Calvin and Elliot Sweeney, Jackson and Maverick McKenzie, all of whom he loved dearly.

Roger also leaves four brothers: Michael R. Stanley of Federal Way, WA, Robert A. Stanley of Goleta, CA, Richard B. Stanley of Moraga, CA, Brian J. Stanley of Mayer, AZ, and one sister, Janet E. Krois of Puyallup, WA as well as numerous nieces, and nephews. Roger was preceded in death by his brothers Glenn A. Stanley, Douglas M. Stanley, Mark T. Stanley, and David L. Stanley.

Calling hours will be held from 5-7 PM on Thursday, April 18, at Hays Funeral Home, 56 Main Street, Northborough, MA. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 AM on Friday, April 19, at St. Rose of Lima Parish, 244 W. Main Street, Northborough. Interment will follow at the North Cemetery, Highland Street, Berlin.

In lieu of flowers, Roger's family respectfully asks that memorial donations be directed to The Rose Monahan Hospice Home, 10 Judith Road, Worcester, MA 01602, or to Pax Christi (https://paxchristiusa.org/donate).

You are Invited to attend Roger Stanley's funeral proceedings online. Join at April 19th 10:00 AM here:

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