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Stanley Gordon Langham, 82, passed away on Dec. 25, 2023, in Payson, Arizona.
Stan was born on Nov. 18, 1941 (18 days before Pearl Harbor was bombed) at Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, to Raymond Gordon Langham and Frances Lorrayne (neé Miller) while his father, Ray, was enlisted in the U.S. Army.
Stan was eager to explore and engage in new adventures, and at the age of 12 he won the Globe, Arizona Soap Box Derby Race. He and his family were flown to Akron, Ohio to participate in the National Soap Box Derby Race and enjoy a week of festivities.
Throughout his life Stan had a broad interest in the world around him, which led him to participate in numerous high school and collegiate activities, varied careers and multiple hobbies.
At Globe High School he was homecoming king, student body president and played first-chair trombone in the marching band, earning a music scholarship to the University of Arizona. At the U of A he was active in the Acacia Fraternity that held social events, conducted service projects in support of the Salvation Army and contributed to the establishment of the “forthcoming medical school.” While finishing his degree, he was a police officer for the City of Tucson Police Department and he thoroughly enjoyed the variety of work experiences. He graduated from the U of A with a BS in Agricultural Economics in 1967.
In June 1966 Stan married his sweetheart (Sugi) Jeanie Morris, and they had many fun, adventurous memories of their 57 years together. Stan and Jeanie enjoyed water skiing, cross country skiing and alpine skiing at numerous locations in New Mexico and Utah, and outdoor adventures that included hiking, backpacking, fly fishing and dancing.
Flying was an important endeavor to Stan, and he flew both fixed wing and sail planes. Cliff soaring was immensely enjoyable, and he did it as often as possible.
As an environmentalist he enjoyed the out-of-doors and joined the National Park Service, where he was stationed as a ranger at Chaco Canyon Historical Site, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. After a year he was sent to the Horace M. Albright Training Center at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Arizona, for four months of training. His next post was Glen Canyon National Recreational Park. Stan was selected to be on the Park Service diving team and was sent to Scripps School of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. Diving was always fun for him, and he enjoyed the friendships he developed with his diving teammates.
For many years Stan’s second career was in the housing construction industry, and he established construction companies in Alamogordo, New Mexico and Payson, Arizona. Stan loved building and fixing things, and - he did a lot of both! Working with clients was a special part of the construction world.
His love of music led him to the Payson Choral Society, where he sang for 15 years. The music and camaraderie were fulfilling.
In his spare time he became a Master Gardener, planning landscapes, selecting plants and developing well-designed gardens. He loved beauty and strived to make his gardens the best he could for all to enjoy.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ray and Lorrayne Langham. Stan is survived by his wife Jeanie, son Christopher (Catherine), grandson Emerson, and sisters Sandy (Ken) Eaton and Jan (Preston) Perry.
A funeral Mass will be held Feb. 3, 2024, at 11 a.m. at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church, 511 S. St. Philip Street in Payson, Arizona, with a luncheon following in the Parish Hall.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Payson Choral Society (PCS) Scholarship Fund, PO Box 2563, Payson, AZ 85547.
