James "Jim" T. Stanley

Jul 12, 1944 -

Sep 4, 2021

James Stanley, loving husband and father, passed away in Anchorage, in early fall 2021. Jim was grateful for the simple things. He enjoyed life and cherished his time with family, friends and colleagues. He died after a brief and unexpected illness.

While Jim was often seen as a quiet man, he sought adventure from an early age. Following high school, he spent two years at the American University in Paris as part of its inaugural class and then transferred to Boston University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in psychology. Jim's adventurous and patriotic spirit then led him to join the U.S. Air Force, which brought him to Anchorage in 1969. During that time, he earned an MBA at the University of Alaska. After leaving the military, Captain Stanley's never-ending search for knowledge led him to the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa, where he earned his law degree. He then returned to Alaska to clerk for Judge Eben Lewis.

Jim had a long and varied legal career. For years, he worked in private practice, specializing in corporate, real estate and contract law. At the time of his passing, he was a Magistrate Judge for the Alaska Court System. Jim loved this job and the opportunity it provided to help others. He never took for granted the impact decisions by courts have on people's lives.

Jim was nominated and inducted as a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers while in private practice and served as Alaska's representative to the American Association of Probate Judges. A born teacher, Jim taught business law at UAA and APU.

Jim was a man of many interests - he loved to tinker with and had a vast knowledge of all things mechanical. Not only was he a licensed pilot, but he held a FAA Airframe & Powerplant license. He put his knowledge of aircraft and flying to use as a volunteer on the Merrill Field Advisory Commission for many years. He loved the "chase of a good car" which meant his family enjoyed a succession of gently used and lovingly maintained automobiles. He loved to build things - beautiful things that finished the family home.

Jim's family was the source of his deepest happiness. He married Lynn in 1988 and was thrilled at becoming a father, something he didn't expect ever to be. As a later-in-life dad, he embraced the role and all that came with it, from volunteering at the kids' schools to teaching them to ski and drive. Jim also played a huge role in helping to guide Lynn's brother Walter who came to live with them at the age of 15.

Jim's quiet intelligence, dignified and respectful manner, integrity and sense of humor will be missed by friends and colleagues, but especially by his family. Jim's patriotism was a strong force in the way he lived his life, not only through his early military service, but through his lifelong commitment to fairness, equity and justice.

Jim had a soft spot in his heart for his canine friends, cooking gourmet meals for his pets, spoiling them endlessly and sharing this love more broadly through pro bono work for animal rescue organizations.

Jim was born in Chicago, to Troy and Josephine Stanley. While his early years were spent primarily in Chicago, he enjoyed spending time with extended family in Oklahoma.

Jim is survived by his wife, Lynn Shaver; daughter, Madigan; son, Troy; brother-in-law, Walter; sister, Judith; and former wife, Maya Durnova Buck. Jim is succeeded in death by his nephew, Michael.

Jim's friends and colleagues are invited to a Celebration of Life on Thursday, July 7, 2022, at 5:30 p.m., at O'Malley's on the Green. Jim's quiet humor and love of life manifested itself in a large collection of Hawaiian shirts and humorous ties. He would have wanted us to celebrate his life the same way - loud Hawaiian shirts, hats or other attire that celebrates life encouraged.