Stanley Carl Waechter
May19, 1932 - July 12, 2007

Stanley was born on Mother’s Day in New Burlington, Ohio, the youngest of four children.  His early years took place at the peak of the Great Depression,  By any comparison to modern times, life was hard and conveniences were scarce, but his father was one of  few lucky enough to keep his steady job, working as an engineer.  Harry Waechter created many inventions and held a number of patents.

Early on, Stanley displayed an interest and talent in art and design.  This was encouraged by his parents who enrolled him in Saturday art classes at the Cincinnati Museum of Art.  Stanley loved cars and machines and made many drawings of them.  He was influenced by his grandfather who lived with them who was a talented painter, modeler and musician.

Stanley enjoyed the Texaco radio broadcasts of classical music as a child and had a lifelong love of music of all kinds from classical to jazz.  There was always music when Stan was around. 

In 1952, he was drafted into the Army and served for six months after which he was honorably discharged.  In 1955, Stanley completed a degree in commercial arts from the Central Academy in Cincinnati.  At the age of 26, he enrolled at the University of Cincinnati and got his B.S. degree in Industrial Design.  After which he got a job with Burroughs Corporation in Detroit.  He rented an apartment near the Wayne State University campus where he met and became friends with many Arabic students.  They introduced him to Arabic food and music which he loved, and to the politics of the region including the Palestinian Israeli conflict.  Since then and until his death, Stan worked tirelessly writing letters to the newspapers and the legislators advocating for a just solution to the Palestinian problem. 

At one of the Arab students gathering, Stan met a newly arrived Palestinian lady who had just enrolled in the Master’s program at Wayne State to study Cell Physiology.  Stan fell in love and subsequently pursued and married Diana Musallam in November of 1966.  Shortly thereafter, Stanley started working at General Motors as an Industrial Designer in their Creative Services Division and stayed there until his retirement in 1993.

Stan passed away suddenly of a heart attack in his garden on a beautiful summer evening.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Diana, his son Brian, wife Tonya and their children Tristan 10, and Trevor 7, and by his son Neal, wife Ana and two year old daughter Elena, and older brother Paul and his family.  A memorial service was held for Stan on July 17, in Elk Grove, California. 

Stanley was devoted to his wife, children and grandchildren and gave them all his love and support.  He was extremely knowledgeable about many subjects, deeply philosophical and ethical and always practiced in his daily life those values he held dear.  He was devoted to the pursuit of peace and justice in the world and together with his wife Diana and others created a Peace Garden in Troy, Michigan.  Stanley will be deeply missed, but rather than mourn the absence of the flame, let us celebrate how brightly it burned.

The family asks that all memorials be made to the Ladah Foundation.