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June 16, 2006

TYA Remembers Fallen Soldier

Lynn Adair

Corp. Derek Stanley is best remembered by a former teacher as a young cadet with dark hair, dark eyes, a quiet demeanor and a dry sense of humor.

Stanley, 20, a graduate of Thunderbird Youth Academy was shot and killed while on guard duty in Afghanistan on June 5. Funeral services were 11 a.m. today (Thursday) at Milsap Funeral Home Chapel in Fort Gibson. He was buried with full military honors at the Fort Gibson National Cemetery.

Debbie McCulley, who was one of Stanley’s teachers at TYA, remembers the former cadet who came from Tulsa clearly because he was included in the first class she taught at TYA in 2003.

“He had a smile that would win you over regardless,” she said. McCulley, a math teacher, said Stanley was a cadet at TYA from July to December in 2003 when he graduated from Class 21, Cycle 1-03.

McCulley said Stanley was in the Alpha Company meaning he attended TYA voluntarily, not ordered by the court as some cadets who attend the academy.

“He was a good student. He was quiet but he did have a good sense of humor. I remember once after passing his GED, he worked in the dining facility on post for a job shadow project,” she said.

“He told me at that time that he knew he was going to do something else for a living other than scrubbing pots and pans,” McCulley said.

“Derek scored extremely high on his ASVAP (military test),” McCulley said.

“He was a pretty intelligent young man. He enlisted in the service in 2004 and at the time of his death, he had already been promoted to specialist.”

McCulley and several staff from TYA attended Stanley’s funeral.

“To know someone’s life got cut short at 20 is sad but Derek died doing what he wanted to do. That was his goal. To get his GED and enlist in the army. He wanted to serve his country,” she said.

“I’m proud that I was a part of what made a change in his life. It’s sad we lost someone with so much potential. He could have done so many other things but he died doing what he wanted to do,” she said.

“Derek will be missed. I’ll always remember him as being one of those kids I wish I had a classroom full of.”





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