Theodore Henry Stanley, M.D.
The world lost an amazing man on Thursday, July13th, when Theodore Henry Stanley comfortably and peacefully passed away in his sleep, after a long battle with cancer.
Ted's life was filled with accomplishment and accolades in the medical field, and his enthusiasm poured into his family, friends, and those he taught and mentored. He loved nothing more than facilitating a desire in others to learn a field about which he himself was so passionate. His contribution to the medical field, specifically in anesthesia, is insurmountable, and has not only improved the industry tremendously, but undoubtedly positively affected countless lives.
Aside from being an amazing pioneer in the medical field, Ted had a zest for life that was unparalleled. He was always the life of the party, and exuded charisma and charm. He may have been known for his career, but he was also known for his infectious laugh, and his ability to command a room. Ted was an avid train enthusiast, made a mean martini, loved to treat his family and friends to "wurstsies" and "hors d'oeuvresies", and was a merciless shark at Monopoly.
Ted always found his bliss in his mountain ranch, which was his second home. He spent much of his free time there, photographing nature, enjoying the tranquil beauty of the wilderness, and hosting his coveted annual elk hunt for a small group of his most dear friends and family, which has been his tradition for 41 years.
He cared deeply about his loved ones, always held them in high esteem, and was overjoyed to be surrounded by so many of them in his last days. Ted was never more alive and himself than when he was among the people he loved the most.
Today, although grieving, his family and friends celebrate his incredible life and legacy, and carry his memory with fondness and devotion. We know that we will see him again after this life, when he greets us with those famous martinis and "wurstsies". And we send him off with love and adoration, because we know he's on his way home; as the headlight on a sky-bound train. Forever love you. Forever miss you.
Ted is survived by his wife, Susan; his brother, Richard (Barbara); his sons, Tim (Jennifer), Ted, Jr. (La Tasha), and Taylor, and his daughter Brecca; and by his beloved grandchildren, who lit up his life, Owen, Sophie, and Emmerson.
The Stanley family would like to extend a very special thank you and expression of gratitude to Jon and Karen Huntsman, for the incredible organization they have created for people battling cancer. Throughout his treatment, Ted consistently remarked how wonderful it was that there was such an extraordinary institution, for people of all walks of life, in their time of most profound need. From our family to yours, we humbly thank you and your vast team of incredibly skilled and compassionate medical professionals.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to: The Huntsman Cancer Foundation- specifying "In Memory of Ted H. Stanley, MD" 500 Huntsman Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108
A viewing will be held on Monday, July 17th from 6:00 - 8:00 PM with a vigil beginning at 7:00 PM at Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 170 South University Street, Salt Lake City. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 18th at 10:00 AM at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, 331 East South Temple, Salt Lake City.
Ted's Story in his own words:
Theodore (Ted) Henry Stanley, MD, passed away in peace on the morning of July 13th, 2017. He was born in New York City (Brooklyn) on a beautiful, cloudless but cold Sunday morning, February 4th, 1940, as the oldest son of his mother Ellen and father Theodore. The family lived in a 7-apartment complex owned by his mother's mother, Patricia in the Maspeth section of Brooklyn only three blocks from Queens.
Ted's dad began throwing a ball with Ted and his brother, Richard, when Ted was six and Richard was four. All sports but particularly, baseball, football and basketball were concentrated on during their respective seasons by Ted's dad in what could be perceived as training but was shear fun for the boys up until and through their high school years.
Music was also important and Ted began music lessons, at first on the clarinet, when he was seven and these continued until he entered college. During his high school years, Ted was asked to join a dance band and because of those tremendously fun experiences he began taking music lessons playing three different saxophones, the flute, piccolo and oboe. By the time he finished high school, he played nine instruments: the clarinet, piano, soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones, the flute, piccolo, oboe, and English horn. He also became a pitcher on his high school (Bushwick) baseball team as a sophomore and in his senior year, was captain. Ted's first career choice was to play center field for the Brooklyn Dodgers. When that didn't come about after a try-out and then four years on the Columbia College baseball team (he also walked on the College's football team) he decided a career in medicine was his best alternative.
Ted graduated high school as Valedictorian receiving acceptance at many ivy-league schools. He chose Columbia College and in 1961, graduated having received a triple AB degree in zoology, chemistry, and music. It was also during this time Ted became interested in the heart and artificial organs designing an artificial heart and catching the interest of Dow Corning.
He was fortunate to get into Columbia University's medical school (The College of Physicians and Surgeons) where he was exposed to anesthesiology and cardiac surgery during his junior year and originally decided to become a cardiac surgeon. Continuing his fascination with the concept of an artificial heart, during his junior and senior years in medical school, he accepted a surgical internship at the University of Michigan in the summer of 1965. This led to a Residency and then to a Fellowship that was suppose to start in July, 1967, at the Cleveland Clinic with Dr. Wilem Kolff. When Dr. Kolff decided to come to the University of Utah, Ted married his then girlfriend, Mary Ann, and they followed Dr. Kolff to Salt Lake City.
Ted loved Utah and during his fellowship year, he decided to change specialties. In addition to becoming a surgeon, he went on to became an anesthesiologist. After two years back at Columbia completing his anesthesiology residency he then in 1970, served two years in the Air Force at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where he was head of the cardiac group and began research on high dose morphine anesthesia. At that time, Wilford Hall Medical Center was the only hospital performing cardiac surgery for Air Force personnel.
In 1972, Ted and his family (by that time he had two sons, Timothy and Ted, Jr.) returned to the University of Utah. There he was Assistant Professor of Surgery and Anesthesiology working with Dr. Kolff in the Division of Artificial Organs and was part of the team that on December 2nd, 1982, implanted the first artificial heart in Dr. Barney Clark.
During those early years of the 70's, Ted developed High Dose Fentanyl Anesthesia which became the standard technique for very sick patients having cardiac surgery. This led to his participation as one of the world's experts on extremely potent opioids. His research in this area led to the approval of some of these drugs and to their use as immobilizing agents for zoo and wildlife animals. This led, in the early 80's, to the invention, development and FDA approval of the "Fentanyl Lollipop: called Actiq - and to Ted becoming an entrepreneur, with his first company, Anesta, which later, in 1994, became a public company.
Ted's signature passion was his love for teaching and helping others further their medical interests in research and medical devices. He mentored many engineers, doctors and others in starting and developing companies to bring novel medical products to market. He started this endeavor back in the early 80's through an anesthesia research program where he sponsored medical students from oversees to come to Utah and Texas to assist in anesthesia and artificial heart research projects.
Except for a sabbatical year in The Netherlands during late 1979 and 1980, Ted remained at the University of Utah Department of Anesthesiology his entire life, and in 2009 helped found a seed venture capital fund called Upstart Ventures.
Ted was an avid train lover and at one time was partial owner of a private rail car. More recently he built an "o-gauge" model train layout in his home. He also loved photographing wildlife in his mountain ranch, the annual gathering place for his elk hunt for the last 41 years.
In 1997, Ted fell in love with Susan Clark. They were married in 2003 and she became his great supporter and wonderful companion. Ted was the proud grandfather of Owen and Sophie, the children of Tim and Jennifer; and Emmerson, the daughter of Ted, Jr. and La Tasha. He was also deeply involved with the lives of his stepdaughter, Brecca, and stepson, Taylor, whom he loved very much.