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Stanley W. Moody

Stanley Willson Moody went to be with his wife in heaven on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, at the age of 93. He had recently resided at Mercy Living Center and Saranac Village at Will Rogers.

Stanley was born in Saranac Lake on June 19, 1923, to Leslie and Alma (Willson) Moody. He graduated from Tupper Lake High School on June 23, 1941. His hobby of building model airplanes as a teen became a reality after graduation when a vacancy occurred at a government training center for airplane assembly. He embarked on a five-month course in airplane assembly in Barker. He then accepted a job with the Glen L. Martin Company in Baltimore, Maryland as a body riveter on the Martin bombers.

When he was later called up for military service, his physical revealed he had contracted tuberculosis, and soon after found himself curing at the Ray Brook Sanatorium. Once released with a clean bill of health, Stanley returned to Tupper Lake, where he successfully wooed and married “the greatest woman who ever lived,” Patricia Kavanagh. They were married on July 8, 1944, at St Alphonsus Church in Tupper Lake. It was a sad day when Patricia passed away on Sept. 30, 2004.

Stanley owned and operated Moody’s Atlantic Service Station on Demars Boulevard for many years. After he sold the service station, he managed Eddie Wolf’s Arco Station. He later worked in the kitchen and in the housekeeping department at Sunmount DDSO, until his retirement on Jan. 28, 1987. Never one to sit idle, he picked up a few “part-time gigs” following his retirement, as well as volunteering at the local food pantry collecting and distributing food to the needy. He also drove cancer patients to and from Plattsburgh so they could get their chemotherapy during that important time in their lives.

He enjoyed traveling to visit his children, many of whom had scattered across the U.S. He was always a big football and baseball fan and had many “favorite” teams, primarily the Dallas Cowboys and Boston Red Sox. Anyone that knew Stan knew which team he was rooting for, and it wasn’t the Yankees! He enjoyed league bowling and friendly competition with his sons on Sunday mornings, and continued to bowl in the Senior League until he was 90.

When he moved to Will Rogers In February of 2015, he was welcomed with open arms to his new family there. He made some fast friends there and gave most of the residents and employees there a nickname — right, “Speedy?” He enjoyed the company of his mealtime table mates. They made sure he was well fed and didn’t miss dessert. The family wants to especially thank the folks at the infamous “Rowdy” table — Jim Glavin, Hazel LaBounty and Louise LaFountain — for watching out for Dad while he was there. He also enjoyed doing his daily crossword puzzles because he loved the challenge.

He is survived by two sisters: Marilyn Leroux of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Carol LeRoux of Star Lake; four sons: Vincent (Joy), William (Tina), James and Timothy, all of New York; and four daughters: Sheryl Briggs of Colorado, Kathy (Ron) Albert of Tupper Lake, Jo-Anne (Ed) Motteram of Texas and Peggy (Ron) Holt of Tennessee; 15 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and his cat Oscar.

He was predeceased by his parents; his beloved wife Patricia; his oldest daughter Suzanne Ogden and her husband William S.S. Ogden II and their infant child William S.S. Ogden III; his grand-daughter Beth Shore; great-granddaughter Grace Colbert; three brothers: Warren, Roland and Leonard; his sister Wanda “Polly” Crary; and his beloved cat Jamie.

There were no calling hours at the request of the deceased.

Contributions may be made in Stanley’s memory to the Tri-Lakes Humane Society in Saranac Lake or the Saranac Lake Voluntary Health Association, Inc. through the Stuart-Fortune-Keough Funeral Home on Cliff Avenue in Tupper Lake.