Stanley Henry Dulemba

Stanley “Stan” Henry Dulemba

   February 25, 1961 - November 2, 2022

Stan Dulemba, 61, left this mortal coil on November 2nd at Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Stan was a devoted husband, fearless motorcyclist, brilliant financial executive, intrepid traveler, ardent animal lover, purveyor of sly humor, and a fabulous cook. The world is less bright without him.

Stan was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, but lived most of his adult life in Georgia after graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration specializing in finance and an Associate of Science degree from Young Harris College. As a Certified Public Account, Stan worked his way to top level executive positions in both private and public companies such as Turner Broadcasting, Deloitte & Touche, and others. He also consulted with many companies, including start-ups and the now billion-dollar company, Spanx. He was a beloved manager often lauded by his employees.  

Stan met his wife Elizabeth 23 years ago at a BMW Motorcycle Club holiday party in Atlanta, where he admitted to falling in love at first sight. He decided their lives in different states was no barrier to pursuing his future bride, and rode his motorcycle from Atlanta to Chattanooga, Tennessee on weekends to court her. Charmed by his devotion and fierce intelligence, Elizabeth says she fell in love with not only Stan’s generous spirit, but also with his wonderful sense of humor. They married at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Chattanooga in April 2001.

They honeymooned on safari in Kenya, Africa where a Masai Chief married them a second time around a bonfire ceremony. There, the Chief placed grass in their shoes so that “every step they took together would be blessed.” It was in Africa that Elizabeth witnessed first-hand how animals of all types gravitated to Stan’s calm, loving energy. At an animal sanctuary, a young black rhino named Omni played with Stan, while a young warthog named Digby refused to leave Stan’s side and watched him adoringly. 

His deep love of animals seemed to call the vulnerable to him. While living in a cabin in Blue Ridge with his wife, an abandoned puppy collapsed into Stan’s arms and immediately became part of the family, followed shortly by a tuxedo cat who spotted Stan through the cabin window. Animals turned to Stan like flowers to the sun.

A common joke in Stan’s life is that he should have been born with wheels instead of feet. He loved bicycles in his youth, and his passion for motorcycles grew as his own career advanced. His tongue-in-cheek nickname in the motorcycle community was “The Wrench.” In 2011, he earned the coveted title of “Iron Butt” champion after riding through 48 contiguous states in 11 days. Before that, he burned rubber in his beloved BMW Z3 throughout the beautiful north Georgia mountains. His motorcycles had special names such as, “The Big Max,” “Yeti,” and “Ushuaia,” the latter for a city in South America he one day hoped to reach by motorcycle.

Stan steadfastly supported Elizabeth’s blossoming career in children’s book illustration, when the two sold everything they owned to move to Scotland for her to pursue an MFA and PhD at the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. In Scotland, he reveled in the country’s fine foods, historic architecture, and breathtaking scenery, while growing as a fabulous cook in his own right. He created many memorable meals including three American Thanksgiving dinners that both befuddled and delighted his many Scottish friends. 

While in the UK, Stan began to suffer ill effects from a brain tumor that was eventually removed in 2019. Despite ongoing health challenges, Stan’s essential self never changed—he continued to be kind, funny, generous, and devoted to his wife until the end of his life. His decline and sudden death was a heartbreaking shock to those who loved him. He will be missed by friends all over the world, who unanimously call him a “lovely man,” and most deeply by his devoted life partner and wife, Elizabeth.

A Celebration of Life will take place December 10th in Rock Hill, South Carolina. For more information, to leave a message of condolence, or to share memories, please visit: https://fb.me/e/2ZL9Sd2Oy  and https://dulemba.com/Stan.html.

Stan’s Celebration of Life will be December 10th, 2022, from 1:30 to 4:00pm EST. Please email elizabethdulemba@mac.com for the physical address or link to the live streamed event online.

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