Nicholas George Howard Stanton, 75, of Great Barrington, born June 22, 1942, died April 30, 2018 in his home.
Nick Stanton was greatly loved by his wife of 52 years, Andrea Stanton and his many descendants. His children, in order of appearance are Peter, Toby, Jeremy, Sean and Sara. His grandchildren are Joshua, Camille, Rowen, Julian, Avia, Milena, Kyle, Lucca, Nina, Lola, Daniel, Tyler, Gernot and our beautiful angel Maia. Dear to him were his sister Diana and his parents with whom he is now reunited. He was loved by his children’s partners and former partners, Rosalynn Frederick, Jennie Reins, Anna Stanton, Emily Newman Stanton, Erin Lore, Tess Diamond and Dustin Dixon, and many others including his two nephews Roland and Robin and his niece Beatrice in Europe.
Nick was born in England on June 22nd, 1942. His father was a teacher who became a doctor later in life and spent several years practicing medicine in the Congo. His mother had been a music hall singer, milliner, seamstress and avid painter.
At Camphill in Thornbury, UK, a residential school for children with special needs, Nick fell inlove with his wife Andrea over a spoonful of honey. Everyday throughout their marriage, Nick started the day by bringing his wife Andrea tea in bed. In 1967 they crossed the Atlantic aboard the Queen Elizabeth.Nick taught math, zoology and life science at High Mowing school in New Hampshire. Then, in 1970, Nick and Andrea with their two young boys moved to Camphill Special School in Pennsylvania where they lived for the next 17 years.
Their adventures took them to Great Barrington in 1986 to form a life-sharing home, warm family environment for adults with special needs, at North Plain Farm (now called Stanton Home). The work that Nick and his wife Andrea pioneered has helped hundreds of people from as far away as Kazakhstan, Finland and Timbuktu. Many young adults found a life-long home in the community the Stanton’s created; they, too, will cherish the memories of Nick for the rest of their lives.
Nick was an enthusiastic dancer, taylor, knitter, woodworker, life coach, furniture builder, eyeglass builder, ordained minister and mousetrap inventor. If he needed something he made it, he was even known to make his own speedos for family beach vacations. When his daughter Sara wanted a disco ball, he made one out of broken mirrors and bicycle tires. Nick approached his Parkinson’s Disease with the same genius and discipline: reading everything, changing his diet and exercise, pedaling a recumbent tricycle around Housatonic and Great Barrington, and ultimately opting for deep brain stimulation surgery.
Nick’s practical skills and wisdom were well known and people sought him out for help and advice throughout his life. He was deeply engaged in his community and enjoyed those commitments to the fullest. His wit and wisdom can be found in his book “Conversations with Nick,” which he wrote in the last year of his life. In the book, when asked if there is anything he would like his family to know, he said, “Yes. I want them to know that I am not at all afraid of dying.” In a letter he wrote to his children, he said: “For now I ask only that you care for each other. Celebrate each other in joy. Nurture each other in life. Support each other in adversity. But above all, communicate. We must help each other find our ways in life. Yours in peace, Love, Dad.”
SERVICES – A Christian Community Service will be held on Friday, May 4that 11:30 a.m. with Reverend Peter Skaller in the Chapel at the Pittsfield Cemetery and Crematory, 203 Wahconah St., Pittsfield,Massachusetts.
A Memorial Service and reception will be on Saturday, May 5th from 4-7 p.m. at 205 North Plain Road, Great Barrington with a 5 p.m. service conducted by Rev. Rich Hayes, Chaplain for HospiceCare in the Berkshires. All are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Nick’s memory to the incredible team at HospiceCare in the Berkshires or Stanton Home through FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME, 426 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230, who is caring for the arrangements. To send remembrances to his family please go to http://finnertyandstevens.com/Obituary/NicholasStanton
