Stanley Joseph Rochelle, 86, of Dublin, GA, passed away on Friday, March 20, 2026, at Fairview Park Hospital in Dublin, GA.
He was born on February 21, 1940, in Jersey City, NJ, to the late Dennis E. Rochelle Sr. and Virginia Cardillo Rochelle and was the youngest of six children. When Stanley was 8 years old, his parents packed up their six children and moved to his father’s hometown of Durham, NC, where he grew up and graduated from Durham High School in 1959.
Upon graduation, Stanley enlisted in the United States Navy and was stationed at Corpus Christi, TX, then on to Newport, RI, where he was assigned to the USS Yosemite. While serving on the Yosemite, he was deployed to the Caribbean in support of the Cuban Blockade.
Soon after returning to Newport, he met his lovely wife Judyann Stanley (Yes, her maiden name was Stanley). Stan was honorably discharged from the Navy and immediately went to work for Perini Corporation, the contractor who built the concrete substructure of the Newport Bridge. Stan and Judy were married on June 18, 1966, and began their life together, raising their four children in Newport. Stanley joined the Newport Fire Department in 1967 and served 25 years until retiring in 1992. With the children grown, Stan and Judy retired to Naples, FL in 1992. Stan would go on to live in Naples for 31 years, even after the death of his beloved Judy in January 2003.
Stan was known for his quiet demeanor and dedication to his wife and children. In addition to working full time as a firefighter, Stan also painted houses and did several other odd jobs to ensure his family was provided for. Even though he worked hard to support his family, he always found time to be in the stands for his children’s sporting events, served as a scout leader, and was a long-standing member of the Masons. Stan also loved spending some of that free time during the summer camping with his family at Whispering Pines campground in Hope Valley, RI.
While many knew Stan for his quiet nature, his competitive side shone on the tennis court. He first picked up a racket at age 31, falling in love with the game and quickly becoming a formidable player, winning many local and USTA tournaments in both singles and doubles. In a true display of his love for the sport, it wasn’t uncommon to find him sweeping puddles or shoveling snow from the Pop Flack courts himself just to get a game in, no matter the weather.
In addition to his parents, Stanley is preceded in death by his wife Judyann and her mother Winifred Stanley; his brother Dennis Rochelle Jr. and his wife Lucy; sister Grace Abernethy and her husband Tom; sister Virginia Ervin and her husband Winfred; and brother-in-law James Davis.
Stanley is survived by his brother and sister, Neil Rochelle and Elaine Davis, both of Durham, NC; his four children Stanley Rochelle II (Mandy) of Dublin, GA, Kristin Larson (Richard) of Norwalk, OH, Brian Rochelle (Carrie) of Newport, RI, and Mark Rochelle of Naples, ME. He also leaves seven grandchildren: Schyler Rochelle, MacKenzie Rochelle, Madison Rochelle, Savannah (Larson) Billman, Grace Rochelle, Cullen Larson, and Charlotte Rochelle; three great-grandsons; and many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
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