Thornton Stanley, of Huntsville, Alabama passed away on August 26, 2023. He was the founder of Stanley Construction, the North Alabama sitework contracting company, and the proprietor of Diamond S Farms, a Black Angus cattle farm in Cotaco, AL, also used for family and community gatherings. Stanley was a devoted family man and was actively involved in his church and community throughout his lifetime. He was 86 years old and died peacefully at home.
Stanley was a recipient of the 2001 Small Business Administration’s Businessperson of the Year award, which he received at the White House from then-president George W. Bush. Other recognitions include his 2019 induction into the Alabama AGC’s Construction Hall of Fame, the Alabama A&M Alumni Hall of Fame and the NAFEO Hall of Fame for graduates of HBCUs.
Thornton Stanley was born the seventh of 10 children to the Rev. O.C. Stanley and Elsie King Stanley on March 9, 1937, in the Bethel community of Colbert County, Alabama. From a young age he worked with his family on farms in Colbert County, learning to plant and harvest, raise animals and operate farm equipment. He excelled in school throughout his youth, skipping two grades at Leighton Training School and graduating at the top of his class.
Stanley entered Alabama A&M College in the fall of 1953, with a $50 scholarship from Sears Roebuck and a determination to “find a way or make one.” To fund his education, he milked cows in the campus dairy, did yard work for professors, and returned home during certain semesters to help bring in the crops. While at Alabama A&M, Thornton pledged Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, of which he was an active lifetime member. At the age of 20, Stanley graduated magna cum laude from Alabama A&M in 1957 with a degree in Agriculture.
In 1961, Thornton Stanley married Mary Elizabeth Bates, a childhood and college schoolmate. How their friendship turned into a courtship remains in dispute, but it is said to have involved a competition that Mary won with swiftness, intentionality and cooking. To that union were born four children — Karen, Deirdre, Thornton, Jr., and Algernon.
In 1961 Thornton Stanley founded Stanley’s Landscaping & Construction Company, now known as Stanley Construction Company, Inc. Throughout his lifetime, Stanley took great pride in pointing out projects the company had worked on during the growth and transformation of Huntsville over the last 60 years. His pride is best summarized in the company’s current tagline, “Paving the way in North Alabama since 1961.” Stanley Construction was and continues to be easily identified throughout North Alabama by its red trucks and diamond-encased “Stanley” logo.
Thornton Stanley built his company in order to contribute to the development and growth of others. He saw the company as an avenue to invest in people, teaching them skills and providing them with a means to support their families. His legacy includes numerous men and women in whom he invested, worked with and extended patience and kindness.
Those who knew Thornton Stanley best knew that his true passion was Diamond S Farms, or simply “The Farm” as it is known to many. Stanley and his wife purchased the farm when their family was young, and it became a home base to spend time together — sometimes for leisure and always through work. From the start, Thornton Stanley envisioned the Farm as a working farm, and over the years he raised pigs and cattle, corn and briefly, cotton. The Farm also was a place for Thornton to pursue his interests in horticulture, landscaping and architecture. He built a beautiful lake at the foot of a spring that flowed from the hills and landscaped a picnic and playground area. Across the lake, he built one of the first underground houses in Alabama, nestled into a grassy hill. One of Stanley’s greatest joys was to share the Farm with others during picnics and other visits.
Thornton Stanley was an active member of his community until his health prevented him from doing so. At Progressive Union M.B. Church, he chaired the deacon board for over 30 years, managing 3 building campaigns, taught an adult Sunday School Class and, in earlier years, sang in the choir. He served on numerous community and business boards, including the Top of Alabama Regional Council of Government (TARCOG), Westminster Christian Academy School Board, the US Army Redstone Arsenal Commanding General’s Community Advisory Board, the Madison County Cattlemen’s Association, the Morgan County Water Conservation Board and the ALFA Insurance Park Commission. In the 1970’s he was an officer of and developed many friendships through the Black Business Improvement Association.
Thornton Stanley was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Bates Stanley. He is survived by his children Karen, Deirdre Stanley Massiah (Shaun), Thornton Jr. (Dawn) and Algernon (Camillia); eight grandchildren: Algernon, Jr., Benjamin Alexander, Thornton Stanley III, Drew Cavanaugh, Hannah Paige, Maxwell Stanley Massiah, Collins Lynsley and Cara Lizbeth; one great grandson Amari Cole, his sisters Naomi Crutch, Louisiana Floyd, Sara Nell Stamps and Minerva (Francis) Jackson; his brother Ossie Stanley Jr (Linda), and numerous friends, family and current and former employees.
Funeral services will be at 12:00 Noon, Friday, September 1, 2023 at Progressive Union M.B. Church with Pastor Dion Watkins officiating. Entombment will be at the Meadowlawn Garden of Peace.
A family hour will be held from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM on Thursday, August 31, 2023 at Progressive Union M.B. Church with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider a contribution to the Thornton and Mary Stanley Endowed Scholarship Fund at Alabama A &M University, a scholarship fund initially endowed in 2021 by their children in remembrance of their mother. The scholarship is now renamed to honor the legacy of both parents. For more information, please see https://secure.qgiv.com/for/aau/
