Tragedy strikes Derry family again Route 28 crash claims the life of father of 4

By Eric Parry
Staff writer

Fri, May 16 2008

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DERRY — More than 1,000 family members and friends of Esau "Ace" Stanley Jr. went to the family's Derry home to mourn the loss of the man who died in a car accident only a couple miles from the family's home last week.

Inside the family's home off Route 28, Stanley's body was stationed at the front of the room. He wore a white suit and his hair was perfectly groomed inside an open casket with flowers and pictures decorating the entire room.

"He would give his heart to everyone," said Stanley's cousin, Billy, after kneeling in front of his body.

Stanley, 32, was driving with his wife, Michelle, in their blue Corvette on Friday, May 2, when he lost control of the car and landed in the woods.

Stanley's father, Esau "Ace" Stanley Sr., said on Monday that Michelle, 32, called him right away and he was on the scene within minutes. Stanley died at the scene but Michelle suffered only minor injuries. The elder Stanley took her to Parkland Medical Center; she was released later that day.

The two were very much in love and were leaving for a vacation when the accident occurred, according to Stanley Sr. In addition to his wife, Stanley left behind four children.

Last week's crash was the second time in the past year that a member of the Stanley family has died in a car accident.

On Aug. 8, Stanley's cousin, Joseph Stanley of Derry, was driving on Island Pond Road when his pregnant girlfriend, Tonya Wells, opened the door and fell out.

Wells died from injuries sustained in the crash and her baby died 11 days later.

At the time of last week's accident, Stanley Jr. was set to be the fourth generation owner of the family's paving company, his father said. The two owned the business together and the younger Stanley was going to set to be the sole owner in a few years.

"This was going to be all his," the elder Stanley said on Monday looking at the business' seven trucks parked across street from the family's home on Ryan's Hill.

At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Stanley was a big man but his father says that his heart was even bigger.

The elder Stanley said he was a gentle man who had a lot of friends and would do anything to please others.

"He would always bring back sandwiches and coffee to the job," his father said. "He gave to people a lot in life."

Stanley grew up in Derry and attended Pinkerton Academy. He had been living in Amherst but moved to Derry a couple of weeks ago.

According to Windham police, Stanley was driving south on Route 28 around 7:30 a.m. when his Corvette swerved into the opposite lane of traffic. The driver of the car in front of Stanley said Stanley had tried to pass him and lost control, police said initially. But they later said it wasn't clear if Stanley was trying to pass the other drive or lost control of his car.

Stanley was scheduled to be buried Tuesday, May 6, at Forest Hill Cemetery in Derry.

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