Stanley E. Pokusa

Stanley Edward Pokusa, Sr., 85, of 38 Greenview Drive, Staunton, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at Augusta Health in Fishersville.

He was born on July 9, 1941, in Orange, New Jersey, to the late John J. Pokusa and Helen Lewandowski Przybylski.

Stanley was a design draftsman for Westinghouse in Verona. Prior to that, he worked as a machinist in New Jersey, and served in the United States Marine Corps as an artillery truck driver in Vietnam.

Stanley will be remembered for his interests in woodworking, his love for history, especially the Civil War, and his love for his dog, Stashu. In his better years, it was rare to come by his house and not hear the sound of a power tool in his machine shop, or the sound of a hammer in his hand, listening to C-SPAN with an opinion to speak of, and the smell of coffee and sawdust filling the air. He also was known to make guitars and play them. He was known to make pool tables and play them, too. He always had many projects, always designing something in his head and leaving many coffee-spilled design drawings until he got the angles to precision. Inventor would be an accomplishment of his, with the improvement of a machinist tool where he “patented” it on YouTube. He prided himself on a nicely cut front lawn. He was a tough fighter, who seemed to have more than the nine lives of a cat. He certainly fought the fight with his health to the end. He identified with his Catholic upbringing, and also valued the Mennonite faith as well. He was seen and heard of speaking with the Father. He was loved, valued, and will be missed for many reasons.

Stanley had three children with the late Linda Ann (Via) Pokusa Brown of Staunton, who are: Kimberly Dawn (Lackner) Pokusa of Troy, the late Heidi Lynn Pokusa Painter of Las Cruces, NM, Stanley Edward Pokusa, II of Staunton, and one child with Sandy Kay Shifflett of Lynchburg, who is Angela Renee (Shifflett) Morris of Lovingston. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Sarah Easter, Emily Lackner Weakley, Daniel Lackner, Juliette Lackner, Blake Huffman, Spencer Varner, Haley Painter, Connor Painter, Kelsey Bowen Kidd, Kendal Pokusa, Hunter Pokusa, Hubert Blackwell, Josh Blackwell, and great-grandchildren, all of local residency.

In addition to his parents, his first wife, and a daughter, he is preceded in death by a sister Irene M. Pokusa of Bolingbrook, IL.

By the grace and mercy of God and human, of which we all ask for, hope for, and depend on, may Stanley fully rest in God's peace and love, forever and ever. So be it.

A memorial of his life will be held on Sunday, October 25, 2026. Service details will follow, as will the location of the dinner.