Llewellyn “Bill” Franklin Stanton, Age 75, of Kensington, CA. passed away on Thursday morning, June 18, 2015 at his home. A native of Los Angeles, Bill lived in many different places through his life; moving to San Francisco at age 28, and for the past 18 years living in Kensington, CA. He was a man full of compassion, equality and inclusion; always sticking up for the little guy. As a high school teacher in LA he was there teaching students in Watts during the Watts riots. After he moved to San Francisco, he received a Masters in child education and directed a San Francisco Children’s Center Program where he met his long time friend, Jack Travis. He went back to school in the ’80s to become an RN and worked in orthopedics and microvascular surgical units at UCSF. He was then invited to join the staff in the AIDS unit at the San Francisco VA Hospital where he stayed for about 10 years. His compassion and caring for people extended to tracking down his patients on the seediest streets of SF for their treatments. Bill’s next career stop was at San Francisco General Hospital where he worked in the TB unit with the pulmonary research physicians under a grant through the CDC. In 2004 Bill retired as a research coordinator. He cherished his freedom and was a continual seeker of meaning and spirituality; doing his his fair share of protesting “The Man” and having the time of his life at Burning Man in 2014 with his nephew, Javier Arau. In his more recent years he developed a close friendship with Dr. Len Schwartzburd, who worked with Bill on local issues and helped keep him young during his time of illness. A lover of travel and exploration he was intent on living life to the fullest. Throughout his life, Bill immersed himself in extensive travels; Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Spain. After his retirement he especially enjoyed spending time at his and his wife, Donna’s, beloved cabin in the woods in Northern CA.
Bill is survived by his wife Donna Eva Breger Stanton. Bill was married previously and has four children, Stephen Louis (Carrie) Stanton, Henderson, NV., Bradley Tyler (Sylvia) Stanton, Guatemala City, Guatemala, Erika Therese (Brian) Gold, Agoura Hills, CA, Shoshana Ariella Baars-Stanton, San Bruno, CA. Bill is survived by one brother, George Conrad (Deborah) Stanton, Los Osos, CA and sister, Susanne Stanton (Jose) Arau, Sacramento, CA. Granddaughters are Kelsey Elizabeth and Jennifer Alexandra Gold, Agoura Hills, CA; Amanda Rose, and Suzanne Nicole Stanton, Henderson, NV. Bill is preceded in death by a younger brother, Steven Edward Stanton, sister-in-law, Carolyn Stanton, and his parents, Llewellyn Franklyn Stanton and Dorothy Agnes Conrad Stanton. Bill and his family are forever grateful for the help and support of caregivers like Mark and Tashi.
Graveside services will be held at Sunset View Cemetery, 101 Colusa Ave., El Cerrito, CA on Monday, June 22, 2015 at 11:00a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: CMTA Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association, Attention Jeana Sweeney, PO Box 105, Glenolden PA 19036; designated to the San Francisco Branch. (cmtausa.org)