Mr. Stanley J. Laster's Obituary
Stanley Jerral Laster–Stan to his wife, Jerral to his Oklahoma family, Papa to his children, Grandpa or Grampapa to others–was born in Fittstown, OK, on June 28, 1937 to L.D. and Dola Laster and was happily married for 63 years, 7 months, and 28 days to Susan Zane Laster. Stan enjoyed watching Hee Haw and Green Acres and had a Ph.D. in Geophysics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Those closest to him describe him as honest, hard-working, practical, gentle, sweet, and positive, one calling him “a prince among men without an unkind or disrespectful bone in his body.” He whistled tunes by the Beatles and the Kingston Trio while he made breakfast on Sunday mornings, and in 86 years, he never had a dental cavity.
Stan worked for GSI and Texas Instruments, taught at his alma mater Tulsa University, and spent 25 years as Geophysical Research Manager for Mobil Oil. Stan was a prominent member of the Society for Exploration Geophysicists, servings for a time as associate editor of their flagship publication, "Geophysics." His work took him to Egypt, India, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Germany, and the former Yugoslavia, among other places, and included projects on geothermal and other alternative energy sources. He lived at various times in Ponca City and Tulsa, OK; Lexington, MA; and Dallas, TX.
Stan was devoted to his wife and loved his four children. He provided for them, sacrificed and inconvenienced himself for them without complaint, and tried to guide them to be good people.
Stan died peacefully at his Dallas home on November 14, 2023. He was preceded in death by his brother Tony and sister-in-law Gayle and his eldest son Stanley David. Stan is survived by his loving wife Susan, his daughter Cynthia, his sons Michael and Kevin, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. B-Y B-Y, Grandpa. B-Y B-Y.
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