Archie Williams Stanley

Archie William Stanley, Jr., aka “Pop Pop,” passed away peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, May 7, 2026, next to his beloved wife Judy. Archie was born at Sheltering Arms Hospital in Athens, Ohio, on August 23, 1947. He was the first-born son of Archie and Marie (Bentley) Stanley of the Sunday Creek Valley. Archie’s sister Carol Jean, and brother Robert Alvin (Bob) made him a proud and most loyal big brother, a role he valued his entire life. Archie grew up in Chauncey, Ohio, behind the library on Elm Street. He played all sports at Chauncey Dover high school: football, basketball, and baseball. He regrettably led the baseball team with the best batting average by only bunting; as he could not see the ball until it was on top of him. Archie graduated salutatorian in the class of 1965. He was a Blue Devil through and through. Archie married his high school sweetheart, Judy Swain in 1966. Archie earned a BS in civil engineering at Ohio University where he joined ROTC. He enlisted in the US Army and was deployed to Vietnam from 1970–1971. First Lt. Stanley served as a forward observer and used his skills to coordinate ground strikes. He was very well respected among his peers and proud to have called in pinpoint artillery strikes at the battle of Firebase 6 on March 31, 1971, where Archie’s fellow officer, First Lt. Brian Thacker was awarded the Medal of Honor. He later received his MA in Public Administration from Bowling Green. After returning from Vietnam, Archie worked for the Ohio Department of Transportation in Columbus for seven years. Archie & Judy had their daughter Dannielle Nicole and moved back to Athens County. He became the Athens County Engineer in 1980 and served in that position for 32 years until 2012. He held a Civil Engineering Professional license (P. E.) and a Professional Survey license (P. S.). Archie earned many accolades throughout his life, including Chauncey Dover High School Honor Grad, Athens High School Athletic Hall of Fame, and recipient of the Ohio State County Engineer of the Year Award. Archie was an author and a student of history, genealogy, and life. He was the keeper of stories, a trusted documentarian who valued the stories of those who came before him. Archie loved Athens County and his home. He loved the fall and woodworking. Archie loved playing tennis and basketball. For a guy his size, Archie had remarkable reaction times that surprised everyone who watched him play anything. Archie was a gentle soul and loved animals of all kinds. He became an avid dog rescuer and bonded so closely to those he fostered. His dogs were his family and he saw himself as their “brother”. Max and Minnie, Bosco, Montana, Marvin, Sampson, Oscar, Dakota Belle, Cherokee and Piper, Zeke, Annie, Chesney, Pumpkin, Tinkle, Dixie, Cider, Jake, Cale, Atticus, Atticus2, YellowHead, Mamma, Luke, Mikey, Sugar, Little Bit, Lucy, and Lucy2, Puppy, GiGi, Snuffy and Alice are all so happy to have him back with them in Heaven. Archie loved Secretariat, John Denver and all things Darwin. He watched over and helped the geese at his pond, which he chronicled for almost 18 years. Archie was a proud Democrat who felt an obligation to speak truth to power as a continued service to the nation he fought to protect and preserve. He loved helping the Chauncey Dover Alumni Association and scholarship fund. Archie was a most generous, kind, and empathetic man. He had many dear and trusted friends and family throughout his life. He was a gentleman to all who knew him. Archie was deeply rooted to his family and his community and enjoyed being a son, a brother, a cousin, and uncle, a husband, a friend, a grandfather, and a dad. He cared for his siblings and his mother in hospice, and was primary care giver to Judy (once after a fatal car accident in 1971 and again in 2019 after an extended illness that took her legs and hands). Archie rehabbed Judy after many surgeries and cared for her like it was his most important job. He will be sad to have not outlived her, which was his goal. Of all the roles he had in life, Archie would tell you proudly that being a grandpa to his three grand boys, Canyon Stanley Reed, Cole Stanley Reed, and Cooper Stanley Reed, was his favorite commitment. He did not miss a thing with his grand boys. He showed up. He never wavered. He loved teaching the boys math and science. Archie gave of himself in every way possible. His first and only priority was making sure that his family had all they needed in the present and in the future. Archie was fiercely protective of his family and loyal in ways that can only be felt by those privileged to fall under the warm embrace and safety that his wings provided his people. Archie purchased his family’s last homestead in Pickerington in 2025. He worked hard to make it a safe place for him and Judy in their later years. It would be a home that his daughter and his grandsons could always call home. He dreamed of creating a magical place where no one ever felt left behind – a place that was theirs- and that is exactly what he did. Archie was proceeded in death by his parents, Archie and Marie his siblings Carol and Bob, his beloved little cousin, Ellen Coon. Archie is survived by his wife Judy, his daughter Dannielle, and his three grand boys Canyon, Cole and Cooper and many cousins, nieces and dear friends. Archie was a giant to his family and will be missed every day by those who loved him. Archie was a hard worker, unafraid to try or learn anything, tenacious, and persevering. He was honest, loyal and measured. He was a hero to his family, and his memory will live on in each of us left here until we all meet again. Archie would be resolute that he had to go first to heaven... so he could start working on our next homestead there, so we'd all have a place to go when it's our turn. WWG1WGA Pop Pop. There will be no formal services per Archie‘s request. A small celebration of life will be held on Wednesday, June 3 from 4-6 p.m. at the Athens Community Center, Room A and on Thursday, June 4, 4-6 p.m. in Columbus at 11210 Milnor Rd., P