William Carl Stancil

William Carl Stancil, son of Harvey and Bertha Florence Stancil, was born on September 9, 1915, in Wilson, North Carolina.

He grew up with his siblings: Clyde L. Stancil, Gertrude Stancil, Delanie Mavis Stancil, Vessie Irene Stancil, Patsy Jane Stancil, Eula Gray Stancil, and George Garland Stancil.

Military Service and Marriage

Carl served in the Army as a second lieutenant after being drafted into World War II. He enlisted on February 3, 1941, at Camp Patrick Henry in Newport News, Virginia.

In the midst of the war, Carl married 20-year-old Ann Demko Stancil on April 4, 1942, in Arlington, Virginia. Ann, born in Dameron, Maryland, grew up on a farm with her brother John Demko. Her parents emigrated from Orkulta, Czechoslovakia, arriving in New York on January 4, 1909, and later naturalized in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Johnstonian Sun reported Carl was injured twice during combat in 1943, first in Sicily and then later in Italy. He had been serving on firing lines in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. He returned to the States, reaching the Port of Charleston, South Carolina, on Nov. 5. He reached his parents' home on Route 2 in Kenly on Dec. 7, 1943. After a 30-day furlough he reported to a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, for treatment.

During the Battle of Anzio beachhead in Italy, which lasted from January 23 to May 25, 1944, Carl suffered a shrapnel wound and again returned to the United States for recovery.

After the war, Ann and Carl settled in Fayetteville, North Carolina. They had two children: Janet Ann Stancil Thome and William "Billy" Gerald Stancil.

Carl passed away at the age of 64 on December 14, 1979, at Womack Army Hospital in Fayetteville, and was buried with military honors in Lafayette Memorial Park in Fayetteville.

He died of acute myocardial infarction with rupture of left ventricle and possible cardiac tymponade.

Ann's love for plants, learned on the farm, stayed with her throughout her life. She grew a large garden and spent hours canning and freezing. Her flower gardens were filled with beautiful roses, iris, and varieties of daylilies she had developed. Ann was also active in her community, winning medals in the North Carolina Senior Olympics.

Despite facing many tragedies, including the deaths of her granddaughter Carrie in 1992 and her daughter Janet in 2001, Ann maintained a cheerful outlook on life.

She passed away on April 5, 2008, in Fort Myers, Florida, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. Ann is survived by her son Billy, son-in-law Robert Clayton Thome, and grandsons Christopher Carl Thome, Robert Gerald Stancil, William Justin Stancil, and Lucas Elliot Stancil.

Billy had a memorial service for Ann at his home.