Hilbert Dennis Stanley
February 24, 1931 February 12, 2010
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IN LOVING MEMORY
Hilbert Dennis Stanley
Dr. Hilbert Stanley, Executive Director of the
National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC) from 1991-2002, died Friday, February
12, 2010 at 8:35 pm of complications from dementia at Charlestown Retirement
Community in Catonsville, Maryland. A memorial service was celebrated in his
memory, Friday, February 26 at 7:00 pm at St. Bernardine's Catholic Church in
Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Stanley was 78 years old.
Hilbert Dennis Stanley was born in Cambridge,
Dorchester County, Maryland on February 24, 1931 to the late Emma Pauline Magee
Stanley and James Hilbert Stanley. His soul left this earth on February 12, 2010
to be forever with his Father God and his ancestors.
Hilbert, Stan, Pop-Pop, as he was affectionately
called, grew up in the home of his paternal grandparents, James H. and Clara R.
Stanley in Easton, Talbot County, Maryland. He was educated in the "Colored"
public schools in Easton - the Robert Russa Moton Elementary and High School. He
graduated at the head of his high school 11th grade class in June 1948 since the
"Colored" high school did not offer a 12th grade to Black students. As a youth,
Hilbert was active in the boy scouts attaining the rank of "Life Scout". He was
an active youth in the church of his grandmother, Mount Pisgah Holy Church in
Easton. He held several after school jobs including assistant to the janitor at
the "all white movie theater" at $.50 per hour; janitor at the Talbot County
Public Library and a frequent farm field worker who gathered crops for markets.
Because of God's grace and the sacrifices of his family, Hilbert was blessed to
have grown up in a below the poverty level family who NEVER knew poverty.
Hilbert was destined to be successful because of the
encouragement of his teachers, several of whom he maintained contact with into
his adult life. He went off to college at Morgan State College with $200 in hand
and a Senatorial Scholarship. Again through sacrifice, study, and his
grandmother's prayers, Hilbert graduated from Morgan in 1952 earning a B.S.
degree in Biology. He was a ROTC graduate and thus received the Commission of
2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. He traveled extensively in Europe to
Italy, Germany, Holland, England and France. While serving in the Army he
married the former Constance Bower, a fellow Morganite, who preceded him in
death. He fathered two children, a son at Fort Knox, KY., Guy Derek and a
daughter at Fort Sill, OK., Denise Renee. Upon leaving the military service with
the rank of Major, Hilbert began a career in education with the Baltimore City
Public Schools System, as a science teacher at Edmondson High School from
1964-1973. In 1970 he earned a M.S. in Science, also from Morgan. He rose
through the ranks as Teacher, Department Head, Special Assistant, Assistant
Principal and Principal of Lake Clifton, Edmondson and Southwestern High
Schools.
As an urban area administrator, Hilbert's
assignments included system reorganization and decentralization, desegregation,
drug abuse leadership training and career development programs. Hilbert was
selected and was awarded a grant to serve in a Superintendent Internship with
the Detroit and Miami, Dade County Public School Systems for one year. During a
sabbatical from the Baltimore City Public School System, he earned the Doctor of
Education degree at Wayne State University in 1978 in Detroit, MI. After
returning back to Baltimore, Hilbert served as the Director of Human Services
and Education Liaison Officer to the Mayor of Baltimore, the honorable Mayor
William Donald Schaefer. Additional study was also completed at Johns Hopkins
University leading to an Advanced Study in Education Certificate.
After a successful career in education, Hilbert
entered a life of retirement (for less than one week) and began another career
with the National Black Catholic Congress. As an extension of his interest in
educational activity and civil rights, Hilbert became involved in the concerns
of African American Catholics. Appointed Executive Director of the National
Black Catholic Congress (NBCC) from 1991-2002, he was responsible for
coordinating training programs with one hundred and thirty Catholic Dioceses in
the United States and all Catholic parishes serving persons of African descent.
While serving in this capacity, he was awarded a Papal Honor as a Knight of St.
Gregory the Great, by Pope John Paul II, the highest honor to be bestowed upon a
lay person in the Catholic Church. Perhaps the second most impressive honor
Hilbert enjoyed was to be a key person in the planning and construction of "Our
Mother of Africa Chapel" at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the
Immaculate Conception, in Washington, DC, the Mother Church of Roman Catholics
in the United States. He organized a pilgrimage in 2000 to Rome for the
canonization of the first African woman, St. Josephine Bakhita. A relic of St.
Bakhita was placed in the altar at the Mother of Africa Chapel. Hilbert had a
special connection to St. Josephine Bakhita, and made sure everyone else did
too. He prayed for her intervention when he was gravely ill in 2002.
While a student at Morgan, Hilbert became a Roman
Catholic. St. Bernardine's, "The Gold Dome Cathedral" located in the west
Baltimore community on Edmondson Ave has been his home church for the last 35
years. He took on many leadership roles in his parish including the Immediate
Past Parish Council President. He served on the Usher Board and was a Member of
the Gold Dome Club. He has said many times that his church family has been a
blessing in his life: the Pastoral Council, the Usher board, the Pastor and
Staff, the Church Choir, the Youth, the Elders and all those in between, the
Hospitality, Spirituality, Eucharist, Preaching, Music, Dance and celebration,
have all made Christ come alive in our midst. His highest and most precious
honors have been Hilbert's children, Guy and Denise, his granddaughter Kesha
Nicole and grandson Guy Derek, Jr.
Hilbert remained loyal to his alma mater, serving as
the President of the National Alumni Association (1993-1998). Prior to that time
he served as its Treasurer (1984-1993). He also served on the Alumni
Association's Board of Directors for 20 years. As president of the association,
his influence directly impacted the improvements in procedures and practices in
alumni office management. He was instrumental in the creation of the position of
Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs, and he played a pivotal role in the
designation of a building on campus as the Alumni House. He later led a
fundraising effort to renovate the house. He led the push for improvements of
the association's newsletter and membership accountability procedures. He was a
champion for fiscal responsibility for the Association and for the Foundation,
leading efforts to ensure that each year ended with no budget deficits. He also
served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Morgan State University (MSU)
Foundation. Hilbert was key in the establishment of the association's investment
portfolio. In 1998, he was inducted into the MSU Alumni Hall of Fame as a
charter member; in 1999 he was awarded the Howard L. Cornish (Baltimore chapter)
appreciation Award. During Alumni Day 2000, the MSU National Alumni Association
bestowed upon him the Special Achievement Award and in 2001 designated him
Alumnus of the Year.
Other awards and recognitions, to name a few,
include Man of the Year, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc; The Distinguished Alumni
Award, National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO),
as well as being elected to the Hall of Fame of the National Alliance of Black
Educators (NABSE) in November 2000.
Hilbert has been a member and officer in various
local and national organizations including: the In-Town Living Council of the
Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development; The Seton Hall
Historic Preservation Association; Vice Basileus, Pi Omega Chapter, Omega Psi
Phi Fraternity, Inc-Lifetime Member.; Third and Fourth Degrees, Knights of
Columbus; Knights of St. Peter Claver; Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central
Maryland, Inc.; Chairman, Selective Service Local for Baltimore City; Member,
Board of Christian Formation, Archdiocese of Baltimore; Member Board of Trustees
for Baltimore City Historical Society; Director of Development for NAACP
Baltimore Branch Act-So Program; Member National Alliance of Black School
Educators; Chair and Vice Chair Board of Directors Arena Players, Inc.
At the time Hilbert was called to eternal life, he
resided at Charlestown Retirement Community. He believed in giving in every
aspect, Hilbert willed his body to Science, to help others lead fuller lives.
Left to rejoice in his triumph over death through Jesus Christ are his children,
Guy D. Stanley (Carol) and Denise R. Stanley; his grandchildren, Kesha N. Dowtin
and Guy D. Stanley Jr.; one sister Jewell C. Duggins; nephews Charles H. Duggins
Jr. and Lester and Christopher Bowser of Philadelphia; Two half brothers Lester
Stanley of Easton and Nathaniel Stanley of Wilmington, DE, who preceded him in
death; Grandniece and great grand nieces and nephews of the Roberts Family in
Easton; cousins, Herbert Skinner, Katherine Roberts of Waldorf, MD and a host of
Godchildren and FRIENDS.
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