Obituary of Dolores V. Stanley

Dolores V. “Dee” Stanley passed October 3, 2019 in Arlington, Texas at the age of 92.Born February 20, 1927 in East St. Louis, Illinois, Dee was the poster child for anyone loving life. Throughout her life she lived by the motto “Everything is great and getting better”. She was married to Col. (Ret.) James “Jim” Stanley of Fort Worth for 58 years. He predeceased her in 2006.Dee and Jim were married after a whirlwind 3 month engagement when he proposed in a letter since he was based in Texas and she was in Illinois. After their marriage they travelled extensively courtesy of the U. S. Air Force. As an officer’s wife her job was never ending. She managed the home like the best CEO as they travelled with their two children throughout the middle east and Europe.After Jim’s retirement in 1976 they started a jewelry business. It hardly seemed like a business since she wanted one of everything they sold for her own jewelry collection. She loved her jewelry, beautiful clothes and always being prepared for a celebration. Dee and Jim spent most of their latter years at their lake house on Lake Texoma. Dee and a number of her friends started “The Wine Divas”, a group of women who gathered nightly for a glass (or two) of wine and conversation.Dee was blessed with a full, happy life filled with many friends who will miss her dearly.She is survived by her children, Michelle Duke of Arlington and Wade Stanley of Fort Worth; grandchildren, Harrison Duke, Collin Duke and wife, Diana, Cameron Duke and wife, Mallory, and Michael Stanley; sister, Shirley Pilgrim and husband, Homer and their two daughters; and Danny and Bonnie Lily.