Stanton V. “Stan” Mahoney, born Sept. 23, 1949 in Mobile, died Monday, Aug. 3, 2009.
He was executive director of the Wolf Bay Water Watch organization and was a driving force in southern Alabama environmental efforts.
He graduated from Decatur High School in 1967 and, after a brief, highly successful Navy career, returned to settle in Foley in 1987.
He was a standout athlete at Decatur High, serving as captain of the football team, and a 1971 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in Naval architecture where he was an N* varsity athlete in fencing and the leader of one of the few student-formed bands, “Jay Gees.”
He served in Vietnam, as on the on-board officer for testing the Navy’s newly developing surface effects warships at Patuxent River, and quickly rose through the ranks to become an early-selectee for several command billets, including Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Kirk (FF 1087).
He served in major Pacific Fleet staff billets and was assigned as a staff officer in the Naval War College, where in his spare time he earned two masters degrees — international relations and strategic studies — and was a member of a popular Filipino-American band.
At at 36 a major heart attack cut short his very promising Navy career and led him back to his Alabama roots with his true love and new wife, Jessica Diva-Mahoney whom he met in the Phillippines. To the benefit of Foley they became active in the community.
With his wife ever by his side, he became the driving force in resurrecting the Wolf Bay Watershed Watch. Under his direction, Wolf Bay was designated status as Outstanding Alabama Water, a status attained by only one other Alabama waterbody.
A 1996 recipient of a heart transplant, he was a passionate promotor of organ donorship; veterans and disabled veterans; all things Wolf Bay, Foley, Alabama, and environmental; and his beloved Navy.
He engaged and lived life fully. He contributed much more thaan must to the welfare of others and his community.
Survivors include his beloved wife, Jessy; close family members, the Umbergers; numerous friends, working partners and acquaintances.
A Celebration of Life service will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 at the Foley Civic Center. Information will be available through the website of the WBWW, www.wolfbaywatch.org or at (251) 970-3558.
The family requests memorial donations be made to Wolf Bay watershed Watch Inc., P.O. Box 63, Elberta, AL 36530, or Disabled American Veterans Chapter 6, c/o First Presbyterian Church, 195 E. Berry Ave., Foley, AL 46535, (251) 943-6328.
