WILLIAM STANLEY , 19, Formerly of Sterling Loses His Life While Bathing William Stanley, 19, son of Mrs. Frank Stanley and grandson of W. H. Stanley of Sterling, was accidentally drowned while in bathing in the waters at Geneva on July 4, according to information received here. He was with a party of five couples who had gone in bathing and had been in the water but two or three minutes, when he drowned. It is presumed he was the victim of cramps, as the water was cold, and the shock from high to low temperature possibly disabled him. The water was about seven feet deep where he drowned. The body was recovery by the four boys with him. The body was taken to a Chicago mortuary. Funeral services will be held in a Methodist church in Chicago Tuesday forenoon at 10 o'clock. The body will then be brought to Sterling and a brief funeral service will be held in Melvin's funeral home at 3:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. Committal will be in Riverside cemetery. The casket attendants, minister and singers will come out from Chicago with the body. Stanley was born in Sterling June 26, 1917, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Stanley. His father died when he was one year of age. William was reared in Sterling until he was eight years of age, when he went to Chicago to live. His first schooling was in Central school. He lived with his grandfather, Herbert Brown and his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Reitzel, in Oak Park. The youth was a bright student and had become the designer of aeroplanes in a large plant in Chicago. At the time of his tragedy he was taking a special course in designing and blue printing. Many friends of the young man and his family, in Sterling, are grieved at his death. (The Sterling Daily Gazette, Sterling, Illinois, 6 July 1936)

A picnic of eight high school students ended in tragedy on July 4th, when William Stanley, a senior in Oak Park high school, was drowned while swimming with his companions in Herrick lake, Wheaton. Coleman McVickar saw Stanley in distress and went to his aid, later aided by Frank Metcalf of 730 Kenilworth. Robert Noland, 543 Harvey, brought Stanley from the water and although the body was lifeless, artificial respiration was administered with a pulmotor. The victim was taken to the Geneva hospital where he was pronounced dead. An inquest was conducted Sunday at Geneva. Other members of the picnic party who witnessed the accident were Marie Otello, Josephine Smart, June Buchanan and Virginia Lawser. William Stanley was recognized as Oak Park's best model airplane builder, as he won most of the contests held in the village. He won the Oak Leaves contest some time ago, was president of the Oak Park Aero club, former head of the Oak Park High Aviation club, and a member of the Central Gas Model Airplane society of Chicago. "Billie" also took part in the many activities of his church. Services with music by Herman Larson, presided over by Rev. Hold in the absence of Rev. Kiontz, the pastor of the Austin Methodist church, where William was present every Sunday, were conducted on July 7 at the funeral home, 318 North Central, Austin. Interment took place at Sterling. Ill. William, the son of the late Frank Stanley, is survived by his mother, Mrs. McCaugherty, Mr. and Mrs. Norman G. Reitzel, with whom he lived 17 years, his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert C. Brown and Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Stanley of Sterling, Ill.
Contributed by Georgi DiBartelo - The Sterling Daily Gazette, Sterling, Illinois, 21 July 1936