Stanley Munfur Ali

STANLEY MUNFUR ALI, HIS JOURNEY

Stanley Munfur Ali was born on April 6, 1933, in Baltimore, Maryland to the late Mamie Holland and John Ali. He was the fourth of five siblings.

Stanley was baptized and made his first Holy Communion and Confirmation at St. Peter Claver in Baltimore. He served as an Altar Boy during his youth, while living for a time with his Aunt Rita Snowden on Brunt Street in Baltimore.

“Ali”, as he was called by friends and family, was adventuresome, energetic, and lived his life to its fullest. Early in his life, he worked at Pimlico Racetrack which gave him a lifelong love of horses and horse riding.

Stanley worked for many years, eventually retiring from the Department of Agriculture as a store inspector for the Food Stamp program. This job put him in contact with business owners across Baltimore and Philadelphia where he made many friends. After retirement, he worked on the Water Taxi at Fells Point in Baltimore and referred to himself as Captain Ali.

He learned to ski in his middle age, eventually buying his own ski equipment and frequently visiting Pennsylvania ski resorts including Liberty Mountain Resort in Fairfield and Roundtop Mountain Resort in York.

Stanley loved art, enjoyed buying art and always boasted about his fabulous art collection. His main love was shopping at flea markets and antique stores. He became such a lover of flea market finds, that he began collecting items residents in his apartment complex discarded or no longer wanted. He was one of those who could find treasures amid trash, always finding use for unwanted items.

Stanley’s personality was unforgettable. We can’t forget the job he found for Eric (Marlene’s youngest son) at the Admiral Cup Restaurant in Fells Point. He was a self-proclaimed expert in matters of taste, and considered himself a Wine Connoisseur.

His other enjoyments included traveling; Stanley was an avid traveler visiting locations as Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Panama, Costa Rica, Bahamas, Thailand, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. His favorite was Spain. He loved to talk about witnessing bull fighting using his expressive dramatic demeanor.

Stanley resided in Hawaii for 14 years and his last residence was Tamarac, Florida.

He fully explored his interest in history at Gettysburg College. He researched the Gettysburg Address, and became an expert on the Battle of Gettysburg, enabling him to become a certified tour guide at the Gettysburg National Military Park. While living in Hawaii, he did extensive research on Alice Augusta Ball, who discovered a chemical to relieve the symptoms of Hansen’s leprosy. Ball’s contributions had been forgotten, but due to Stanley’s dedication and persistence, Alice Ball finally received the recognition she deserved. An article, “Honor for the Healer’, was recorded in the Star Bulletin in Hawaii, on Friday, February 18, 2000, due to Stanley’s tireless efforts and research. In the article Stanley was acknowledged for bringing this lost piece of history to life!

Stanley loved to tell jokes and laughed harder at his own jokes than the people he entertained with his stories. He and his uncles Herbert and Gus were always in competition regarding who had the best jokes or could go on the longest. To buttress his point, Stanley would often say – “Ain’t that right Elsie?”, referring to his wife Elsie, who was the only person he relied on to vindicate his point.

Stanley Munfur Ali is survived by his children, Darnell Carter, Moyna Anderson, Jarina Ali Lloyd, Michael Ali, and John Ali; his siblings Marjorie Purvey, and Rep. Stephanie T. Bolden; grand and great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family, and friends.

He was preceded in death by siblings, Kudeza Jennings and John Arthur Ali, Sr.

Family and friends are invited for a time of sharing and fellowship on Saturday April 15, 2023 at 9:00 AM in St. Peters Claver Catholic Church, 1526 N. Fremont Ave., Baltimore, MD 21217. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:00 AM.

Interment will be in Arbutus Cemetery, 1101 Sulphur Spring Rd., Baltimore, MD.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.burgee-henss-seitz.com for the Ali family.