I met Stan in 2000 through a mutual friend and co-worker, Darin Serafin. Darin and Stan worked in food services and the commissary at Fairchild AFB. Darin and I were managers at the Comet here in Hillyard. I just turned 51, so I’ve known Stan half my life. Through the Fairchild Commissary, Darin and Stan used to donate food to veterans and their families, including Hillyard VFW Post 1474. It was in the old building on Queen Ave. at the time and that was my initial introduction to the Hillyard VFW, as I helped Darin and Stan sorting and delivering those donations. Since then, we’ve spent quite a bit of time together over the years volunteering to see that veterans and their families in need receive food assistance.
I used to play in local pool tournaments and leagues, and I would encounter Stan often at pool tournaments at the Comet, the Alaskan, the Big Sky, the Country Place, Snoops the Eagles and other bars. Stan was a better pool player than me and usually placed higher in the tournaments. There was a time tournament though at the Country Place where Stan and I were the top 2 and had to play each other in the deciding match. I won the break and ran the table, something I’d never done before, but I scratched on the 8 ball and lost. Stan was the legitimate winner, but he refused to accept 1st place or the prize money. "He shook his head in disbelief, told me he’d never seen me shoot like that before, shook my hand and said "I don’t care about the rules, you won that game!” Then he told them to give me the prize money. I tried to argue, but he wouldn’t have it. That’s the type of guy Stan was.
In the Fall of 2010, I was going through a rough patch in my life, so Stan and Betty invited me to spend the weekend hanging out with them up there. It ended up being a really fun weekend and just what I needed at the time to make me feel better.
I became a manager here at the Hillyard VFW in 2016. Over the years Stan and I didn’t always see eye to eye and agree on everything, but I can’t remember ever having a bad interaction with him. In fact, one of the things, I’ve always respected about Stan is that he was always a "No Nonsense”, "Tell it like he sees it”, "No B.S.” type of guy. I used to run ideas by Stan because he was honest and not afraid to tell me what he thought whether he loved the idea or hated it. Most of the time, he hated my ideas, but I valued his input. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned being a manager is the biggest aspect of the job is managing according to different people’s individual personalities. Stan made that easy because he was always so straightforward.
Stan gave a lot of himself and his time to this Post volunteering running Bar Bingo, Dice Games, Poker and more. It was easy to see just how deeply he cared for our Post and our members by his actions. I owe him my gratitude and respect. He earned it.
Stan loved sports and we shared a mutual love for the Seahawks. And that was always common ground that we could discuss, even in times when we didn’t speak to each other about much else. We also shared a mutual concern for our health and the health of each other’s families.
When we had to close the Post after the truck ran into the building, Stan used to come in regularly during reconstruction to check on the progress. He would give me his input and advice along with a stern warning that I better keep the project on schedule, "Or Else!” After I injured my foot, I had to sit in a chair with my foot elevated while I directed the work and the workers. With the interior gutted and the ceilings opened up it was cold as Hell in there in January 2024, especially if you were sitting and not moving. But that never stopped Stan from coming in and sitting with me and helping me "oversee the work”. I know he was really just coming in to keep me company and support me in an extremely stressful and difficult situation.
Stan, at times, presented a gruff exterior, but if you got to know him, you’d see through that to his true, honest, loyal and loving heart. I will miss you, Stan!
R.I.P., my friend,
-Jake Ingram