Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.

Robert W. "Rob" Stanley

Male 1964 - 2019  (54 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Robert W. "Rob" Stanley 
    Born 7 Sep 1964  [1
    Gender Male 
    FindAGrave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/202318611 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-390029 
    Died 4 Jul 2019  Jinan, , Shandong, China Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Person ID I390029  Generations
    Last Modified 12 May 2024 

    Father John Frederick Stanley,   b. 1926, Sheshamore, Lorrha, Tipperary, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 31 Aug 1999, Freeport (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 73 years) 
    Mother Ada Louise Brown,   b. 26 Jan 1923, , Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Feb 2018, Brampton, Peel Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 95 years) 
    Family ID F263926  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • STANLEY, Robert (Rob) W. Passed away suddenly at Jinan, Shandong Province, China on Thursday, July 4, 2019. Rob was 54 years old and 20 at heart! Rob's passion for skydiving took him all around the world; to New Jersey, Florida, Utah, Arizona, South Africa, Dubai, Thailand, Australia, and lastly to China. Sadly missed by his nephews William, Patrick, Jon and Sean, his sister Eileen and his skydiving family around the world. Predeceased by his brother Jo and his twin brother Rick Stanley, by his father John F. Stanley and by his mother Ada L. Stanley. A memorial service to Celebrate Rob's life will take place at St. George's Anglican Church, New Hamburg on Thursday, August 29th at 3 p.m. Reception will follow in the Church Hall. Interment will be in St. James Anglican Cemetery, New Hamburg, prior to the service. Blue Skies forever! See ya on the other side!

      Published by New Hamburg Independent from Jul. 4 to Jul. 11, 2019.

      ____________

      My brother Robert (Rob) Stanley, passed away on July 4 in Jinan China. He had been doing the outside camera work for another tandem jump. As he approached the ground, at about 10 meters, his canopy collapsed. He was not able to recover and had a fatal landing. Many thanks to those who were there with him at that time.


      Rob's love of the sky started at a very young age. The four Stanley kids, me, Jo, Rick and Rob would sit outside the house on the sheep farm near St Agatha. The clear summer nights were perfect for stargazing. My dad, John, would point out the constellations: Orion, the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper, Cassiopeia, the North Star. He would talk about weather and we would watch the heat lightning in the distance.


      This led to a fascination with rockets, fireworks, science fiction, science and how the world works. The three boys started skydiving at Parachute School of Toronto in the early 1980's. My mom would often go up to Arthur to watch them. They quickly moved into canopy formation work, relative work, free flying and of course BASE jumping. I remember being the "getaway driver" for an antenna jump early in the morning. "Don't hang around", they said, "let's go before the farmer sees us".


      Parachuting became his passion, his life. Every weekend and every penny went to skydiving. He traveled and competed all around the world.


      Rob spent many years at Cross Keys, New Jersey. He met so many people and some of them became his second family.


      He also worked and jumped in Florida, Puerto Rico, Utah, South Africa, Australia ( twice), Thailand, Dubai and most recent in China. His family is world wide!


      Rob was not a material person, nor religious but spiritual and deeper than he looked. I would like to memorialize him in a unique and creative way. If I could get his remains into space, I would!

      First, we need to get his remains and his things back home to Canada.


      Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Details of the Celebration will be determined later.


      Thanks to all of those who have shared stories and photos! Rob would have been humbled to realize what an impact he had.

      https://www.gofundme.com/f/3fw4q-bring-rob-home

  • Sources 
    1. [S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/202318611.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsDied - 4 Jul 2019 - Jinan, , Shandong, China Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth