Finly Stephens Stanly, 91, of Leesville went home
to be with the Lord on
March 6, 2014. He was a descendent of an original Vernon Parish pioneer family and passed away on Belview Rd. within sight of the home where he was born.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, March
10, 2014 at 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Leesville. Bro. Jeff Coleman, Bro. Craig Forque and Bro. Jerry Penfield will be officiating.
Burial will be in the Castor Cemetery of Leesville. Visitation will be Sunday, March 9 from
4-8 p.m. at Hixson Funeral Home of Leesville.
Mr. Stanly was born on Aug. 13, 1922 to Major Finly and Clara Stephens Stanly. He graduated from Leesville High School in 1939, Southwestern Louisiana Institute in Lafayette, and received his
Master’s of Education from Stephen F. Austin College.
In 1946 he became the vocational agriculture instructor at Pickering High School, where he coached girls and boys basketball. He also served as principal of PHS from 1962 through 1972.
From 1972, he was Supervisor of Secondary Education until his retirement in 1980.
He served in the Marine Corps during WWII in the South Pacific from 1943-45. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Leesville where he was ordained
as a deacon.
He worked with the CETA program 1980 until early 1982, when the program terminated. He was appointed director of JTPA for Vernon, Beauregard and Allen Parishes, retiring March 31, 1987. He served as president of Vernon Parish
Teachers Association in 1955; Central Louisianan Supervisors’ Association, 1977-1978; District Athletic and Officials Association; and Vernon Parish Retired Teachers’ Association, 1982. He served the civic community as Secretary/Treasurer of the West
Louisiana Forestry Festival from 1944-1948; a charter member and member of the Board of Directors, Vernon Parish Association for Retarded Children. He was the current president of the Vernon Parish Library Board; past member of the Vernon Parish
Council for Disabled Persons; board member of the Sabine River Authority for Louisiana, having served as past-president and also served on the joint board and past Chairman of Operations for Louisiana and Texas. He was a lifelong avid foxhunter and
lover of gospel music.
He was very active in Masonry. He became a Master Mason when he was initiated, passed and raised on Aug. 18, 1945. He served as Master of Leesville Lodge 240 in l953. He served as treasurer from 1992 until his
death. He also served as District Deputy Grand Master Eighth Grand Lodge in 1997. He was Grand Jr. Deacon of the Masonic District in 1972. He was a member of the Shreveport Valley Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction of U. S., where he held the rank
of thirty-second degree Knight Commander Court of Honor.
He was active in all three bodies of the York Rite: He was High Priest of Vernon Chapter 51 in 1975-77, Illustrious Master of Fullerton Council #26 in 1979 and Eminent Commander of
Rhodes Commandery 17 in 1978.
He served as top officer for all three bodies in the state of Louisiana. He served as Most Excellent Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of La. in 1982; Most Illustrious Grand Master
of Cryptic Masons of Louisiana in 1987; Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Louisiana in 1998-99.
He was also member of the Order of High Priesthood; Red Cross of Constantine; the Order of the Silver
Trowel; KYCH; Knight Crusaders of the Cross; John of Patmos
HRAKTP; charter member Louisiana York Rite College. Also, he was a member of the Royal
Order of Scotland; National Sojourners Inc. of El Karubah Shrine Temple; and
Past
Patron of Esther Chapter 26 Order of Eastern Star.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Adele Knight Stanly; his son, Wesley Finly Stanly; and brother, Thomas Jackson (Jack) Stanly. Recently deceased was his sister,
Clara Grace Stanly Spence.
He is survived by his daughter Brenda and her husband, Charles Bealer; grandson Michael Bealer and wife, Amanda; granddaughter Christa and husband, Faimon Roberts III; and five great-grandchildren.
In
lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Masonic Learning Center (318-443-5610); First Baptist Church of Leesville; or the Vernon Parish Library.
Arrangements by Hixson Funeral Home, Leesville.
Words of comfort may be
shared with the family by visiting our online register at www. hixonfh.com.