Bob was born in Tamworth in 1928. In 1950, Bob joined the Air Force and following an incident in which he was hospitalised, he met a young nurse, Shirley, whom he subsequently married. Shirley eventually became instrumental in the charter of the Mudgee Sunrise Rotary Club in 1995 and was the inaugural Club President.
Nineteen fifty seven (1957) was the beginning of Bob and Shirley’s adventure in the Solomon Islands. As an agricultural officer, Bob helped teach agricultural skills to local communities. Bob’s wife, Shirley, started a women’s emancipation movement through education and women’s clubs in several areas.
Following his return to Australia, Bob joined Mudgee Rotary in 1987 and has served as Club President on two occasions; 1993/94 & 1999/2000. He has been a long time supporter and Club director for Rotary Foundation matters and was a driving force in raising funds for the establishment of the “Mudgee Room” at Western Care Lodge, Orange. For more than 25 years, Bob was also the local ambassador for Rotary’s Bowelscan program and he and wife, Shirley, hosted many overseas Rotary Youth Exchange students.
At Bob Stanley’s surprise party many Presidents (past & present), other Rotarians and friends congratulated Bob on his 90th birthday and shared their own recollections of Bob’s friendship and his contribution to Rotary and the Mudgee community.
Current District Governor, Helen Ryan, sent a greeting to Bob acknowledging his long and devoted commitment to Rotary’s Youth Exchange and Foundation.
It was also a pleasure to welcome Dawn Staples (wife of PP John Staples 2009/10) to our meeting. Dawn spoke fondly of the friendship and work undertaken by John and Bob specifically, the ambitious project of coordinating community fundraising for Western Care Lodge, to accommodate patients undergoing treatment at the Orange Regional Hospital.
