Brett Christopher Stanton

On the evening of Monday, November 25, 2024, Brett Christopher Stanton left this world peacefully while surrounded by his loved ones, following a lengthy and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was a true warrior in the fight, exhibiting a strength unknown by many.

Brett was born on April 6, 1973 in Galesburg, Illinois to Larry Stanton and Francine Newman (nee Camara). After graduating from Galesburg Senior High School, he held numerous jobs in different cities and states. Fifteen years later, following in the footsteps of his Uncle Ken, he completed his OTR training and began a long career as a long-haul truckdriver. He enjoyed journeying across the country, seeing new places and meeting different people during his travels. However, his true passion was music. Mostly self-taught, he proved himself to be a gifted musician, accomplished at playing several different instruments, and writing poetic song lyrics. He played in several bands throughout the years, but his favorite time spent “doing music” was always with his brother Scott, who he deeply admired and looked up to. Brett would often talk about how close they were and how he considered his brother to be his very best friend. Their bond was unbreakable to the very end and undoubtedly will endure throughout eternity. Brett was also an extremely deep thinking and spiritual individual. He was constantly seeking meaning and purpose to his life and connecting with something greater than himself which helped him to navigate through his illness with an insurmountable degree of courage and grace. The art of meditation became a regularly practiced ritual. Brett enjoyed nature and its beauty and had recently taken up birdwatching in his spare time. He would often lie in his hammock in the backyard and immerse himself in the sounds and sensations surrounding him, such as the trees swaying in the wind, the chatter of the cicadas, and the scent of the pines. There was always a certain sparkle in his eye when he would talk about these experiences with others. Brett loved deeply and fiercely and was a very loyal friend to many. He will be truly missed by those who knew him best and loved him most.

He was preceded in death by his father Larry Stanton, his maternal grandparents Antone and Violet Camara, his paternal grandparents Marv and June Stanton, and his beloved cats that were taken from him in a tragic house fire, Ming and Eastwick.

Left to cherish his memory are his mother Francine (Eric) Newman, his brother Scott (Dawn) Stanton, and many other extended family members and friends. And with special acknowledgement and many thanks from the family, Nicole Miller, his loyal friend, confidante, and very important person in his life. Your presence and support left a huge imprint on his heart. And last but certainly not least, his ever-faithful companion and “Angel in disguise”, Esa, his emotional support dog, who he absolutely loved with his whole heart.

The family would also like to extend deeply sincere gratitude to all of the people who were a part of Brett’s medical care team throughout his illness. Each and every one of you, from Illinois, Iowa, and North Carolina…Thank you. All of your prayers and support rendered were greatly appreciated. And, special recognition is given to the staff from Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Hospice. We would have been lost without your guidance and support. Thank you.

And, to all of those that have reached out to the family with words of encouragement, food, phone calls, texts, love, and prayers…Thank you ALL. Words will never describe how grateful we are to have each of you in our lives.

And lastly, to the staff of Coble Funeral and Cremation Service, the entire family would like to extend our heartfelt love, gratitude, and thanks to Jim, Julie, Sean, Selvie, the on-call answering service, and all of the “behind the scenes” personnel. Your compassionate and kind professionalism was impeccable and appreciated more than you will ever know.