W. Lloyd Stanley Jr.

W. Lloyd Stanley Jr. died for the second time on December 25, 2019 in Chattanooga, Tennessee (yes, Christmas Day, a day when families come together to celebrate – a fact that would not be lost on him). This occasion occurred with more permanence than his previous and erroneously reported death in Florence, Italy in June 2018.

Lloyd was born in Chattanooga to the former William L. and Sammie D. Stanley on July 2, 1941. Despite sharing numerous birthday celebrations with his nation, he was never bitter and enjoyed having joint celebrations. He would often remark it was nice that so many who did not even know him lit fireworks and waved flags to celebrate his birthday.

Lloyd was a proud graduate of Chattanooga City High School, Class of 1959, and then attended the University of Tennessee where he cemented his love of the UT Volunteers and spent a lifetime embodying all that the Volunteer Spirit stands for. He earned his BS in Business Administration from UT and his JD from the UT College of Law. He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, Scarabbean Society, and Phi Beta Kappa as well numerous other honorary societies and fraternities.

Following his graduation from UT College of Law, Lloyd married Martha “Marty” Sharp of Maynardville, TN. He then received a commission in the US Air Force, serving as a JAG Officer during the Vietnam War. He qualified as an expert marksman with a handgun just to prove that some lawyers can shoot straight even if only from close distances. While in the Air Force, Lloyd learned never to expect the house you leave in the morning to be the same upon your return, as Marty would often redecorate an entire room in a day and change out the majority of the furniture. He took great pride in the home designs created by his wife, an interior designer and small business owner, and would often brag about how she could truly transform a space.

After the leaving the USAF as a Captain, Lloyd continued his public service as an Assistant US Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee. He prosecuted numerous, high-profile criminal cases, including a $6.5M counterfeit money case – the largest seizure of counterfeit money in US history at the time - with all defendants convicted. He also led the prosecution of those who bombed the car dealership Amos & Andy Buick, which also led to all defendants being convicted. Following his time as a US Attorney, Lloyd remained in private practice for over 45 years, serving many fellow Chattanoogans and local businesses. He served his profession by holding various board positions in bar associations and served a term as President of both Chattanooga Bar Association and the Chattanooga Federal Bar Association. Lloyd was elected as a Fellow of the Chattanooga Bar Foundation in 2001.

Beyond his service to legal associations, Lloyd continued to embody the Volunteer Spirit by serving in numerous leadership positions in civic organizations and various community organizations’ boards, including those focused on education. He was on the Board of the Chattanooga Literacy Movement (later renamed to READ Chattanooga). He served on the Parents’ Council for all of the schools his children attended: The Bright School, the McCallie School, and Girls Preparatory School. He served on the Board of Trustees of both The Bright School and the McCallie School, and often joked that the latter was a necessary position to ensure that his son, W. Lloyd “Trey” Stanley, III graduated. He was also a former President of the Hamilton County Chapter of the University of Tennessee Alumni Association and a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Despite his own lack of athletic prowess, which peaked on the fields of Sunnyside Elementary and the ball fields of Brainerd, Lloyd pushed his daughter, Dr. Mary Stanley Grant, and Trey into a variety of sports. And he never let a lack of first-hand knowledge of a sport prevent him from coaching. Lloyd coached Mary and Trey in soccer, and after being frustrated with the lack of soccer fields in Hamilton County, he helped organize a group of parents to work with the County Executive to create Redoubt Soccer Association. He was the organizer of the Redoubt Corporation and served as an officer on its first board of directors. The Redoubt fields remain to this day and have been enjoyed by thousands of children in Chattanooga.

Continuing his service to his community, Lloyd served for over 17 years on the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority, including stints as both Vice Chairman and Chairman. He took great pride in the work required to construct the new terminal and the design that would allow for expansion as the need arose. He particularly enjoyed the “required trips” to understand exceptional airport design and operations. These trips took him to such mundane locations as Munich, Madrid, Montreal, Anchorage, St. Thomas, and Palm Springs. He also served on the Legal Committee Steering Group of Airports Council International.

Lloyd served as President of the Chattanooga Civitan Club and the Chattanooga Jaycees where he championed the building of Jaycee Towers in the 1970s to provide safe, quality housing for the elderly. At various times he also served on the Board of the Chattanooga Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Chattanooga Taxicab Board.

Lloyd was active in Republican politics for many years and ran several campaigns where he was integral to getting a few elected to local and national offices. While he was a steadfast believer in small government, in recent years Lloyd became increasingly dismayed with the rising control of religious ideologues in the Republican party, as well as the vitriol between parties. Lloyd always believed that there is more that binds us than separates us and he relished his friendships with those of varying political beliefs.

Lloyd was a lifelong member of Brainerd United Methodist Church and served several years on its Administrative Board and a term as its Chairman.

Lloyd is survived by Marty, his wife of 53 years, his children, W. Lloyd “Trey” Stanley III (Jennifer) and Dr. Mary E. Stanley Grant (Scott), his granddaughter, Ashley Lauren Grant, his brother-in-law Dr. Joe T. Sharp (Lee), numerous nieces and nephews all of Huntsville, Alabama, and his bundle of energy and fur, Minnie, a 10 pound, long-haired Chihuahua nicknamed The Wonder Mutt.

The family will have a graveside service at the Chattanooga National Cemetery at 2:30 PM on January 8, 2020 followed by a celebration of life at the Chattanooga Golf & Country Club from 3:30-7:30 PM on January 8, 2020.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the University of Tennessee to the Wanza Sharp Faculty Fellowship Endowment, which Lloyd and his family launched in honor of his mother-in-law to support excellence in teaching in the UT College of Arts and Sciences. Gifts may be made electronically at CAS Online, artsci.utk.edu ,or by mail to The University of TN, College of Arts and Sciences Office of Development, 1408 Middle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996. In both cases, please cite the code S010030526.