Edward J. Stanley

Judy Hoefling was worried after Stanley, who lives alone, missed Tuesday’s council meeting and did not attend another event Wednesday.

“It was so unusual for Ed; he was so diligent about honoring his obligations,” Hoefling said. “That triggered me.”

Police officers broke down Stanley’s door and found him, Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock said.

As of Thursday morning, the cause and manner of Stanley’s death were unknown pending investigation.

Warnock does not suspect foul play and is waiting on information from Stanley’s physicians to help determine cause of death.

Stanley’s death comes at a shock to colleagues, co-workers and friends who describe him as a real “Renaissance man.”

“He was an amazing donor and supporter of nonprofits, and very active in local politics,” said longtime friend Anna Schlecht. “He always had a great joke to share.”

Stanley grew up in Elma and earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Saint Martin’s University in 1990. He worked as a case manager for the Pierce County AIDS Foundation from 1999-2010.

Stanley joined the Tumwater City Council in 1997 and was mayor pro tem from 2010-11. During his tenure, Stanley focused on social and human-rights issues, advocating for equal rights, mental-health issues, low income housing and assisting people with HIV and AIDS.

He had been serving his fifth four-year term as a council member.

“Ed was well-liked, and his passing is a considerable loss for the entire community,” Mayor Pete Kmet said in a news release.

Schlecht said Stanley comes from a political family and switched parties, going from an active Republican to a Democrat.

“He had a very high-profile break with the Republican party when it started veering to the right with the era of anti-gay rights … he’s been a strong supporter of gay rights over the years,” Schlecht said. “He was just tireless in his efforts to raise money, doing public speaking and making sure that equal rights wold be a reality for all citizens.”

A news release from the City of Tumwater said Stanley served on the city’s budget and finance, public-safety and general-government committees. He also was the chairman of Behavioral Health Resources, Intercity Transit, the Human Resources Review Council, South Sound Mental Health and the Thurston Regional Planning Council.

“Ed was a courageous public servant, a loyal friend to lots of people, and a tireless worker in local politics and social-service groups,” former Olympia Mayor Mark Foutch said in an email.

County Commissioner Sandra Romero has been friends with Stanley for 25 years.

“He is a really good friend and a trusted colleague, and I believe he is going to leave a really big void in our community,” Romero said. “He was so much part of the fabric, involved in all different areas within the community. He has raised thousands and thousands, if not millions, of dollars for worthy causes.”

Arrangements under the direction of Mills & Mills Funeral Home and Memorial Park, Tumwater, WA.