Joseph Stanton

Thomas Joseph Stanton, II, 26 years old was lovingly called to his heavenly home on July 15th. He passed away peacefully surrounded and coddled with love by his family. Joseph was born in Houston, Texas on January 24th, 1994. He is the son of Dr. Robert and Mrs. Terri Stemmons Stanton of Kingwood, Texas. He is survived by 3 adoring sisters and their husbands, Madeleine and Brian Lamont of Houston, Audrea and Brendan Rich of Nashville, and Gabrielle and Glenn Otto of Houston. Prayers flooded the heavenlies for a decade sent by his paternal grandparents, Mr. Thomas Joseph Sr. and Mrs. Dorothea Stanton, and fiercely loving aunts, uncles and cousins across the country. He joins his maternal grandparents James Stemmons, Catherine Stemmons Robert and Heinz Robert as well as his beloved godmother, Audrey Lyons, in our Lord’s heavenly kingdom. Thomas Joseph Stanton, II was surely met by his beloved and greatly admired, confirmation saint, Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, whom probably presented him to our heavenly Father who said, “Well done my good and faithful servant” Mathew 25:21.

Joseph was a tremendous athlete. He played a multitude of sports and excelled in them all. He was an eight-time All-American swimmer, state champion, state record holder, and a Kingwood Park Varsity football player. He was a highly recruited athlete in high school. The mailbox was constantly flooded with letters from some on the top universities in the country for months even after his accident. While he has boxes upon boxes filled with ribbons, medals, and trophies, who Joseph was as a person outside of the realm of sports was far greater.

Joseph was an anomaly. He was a successful athlete, but also a brilliant student ranked at the top of his class. He was sensitive, yet resilient, proud, yet humble, with a healthy dose of mischievousness and a tremendous heart for all. To know Joseph, was to love Joseph. His smile and laughter would steal your heart and were probably used more times than not to get himself out of a little bit of trouble. Joseph loved life and lived it to the fullest. He had a warrior spirit, and the heart of a lion demonstrated so profoundly when anchoring the boy’s 400-free relay at the state swimming championship as a freshman when he pulled off a “come from behind” victory to bring home the first Boy’s UIL State Swimming Championship title for his teammates and beloved Kingwood Park High School. He earned the nickname “The King of Comeback” when he dove in tied for 2nd place. He gutted it out to pull ahead of seniors on either side in the last 5 yards of the pool and touched the wall first in the final event of the state championship and clinched the title. Next to him was the 3-time state boys reigning champions (3 consecutive years), Frisco High School. Joseph was excited as he exited the pool with his teammates “high fiving” him. However, that smile disappeared quickly when he looked back down into the water and noticed one of the boys in tears. He immediately felt bad for the seniors who would have won the state championship all 4 years of their high school careers. Underneath the tough, “hard to beat athlete”, was a very loving, sensitive young man. He willingly embraced challenges and took pride in doing the seemingly impossible all with a loving heart.

June 3rd, 2010 was the beginning of a new fight and journey for Joseph when he suffered a severe traumatic brain injury after falling off a skateboard not wearing a helmet. The new battle was one an ordinary person would have given up on quickly. From day one, when doctors and medical staff were ready to call it quits, Joseph was eager and ready to prove them wrong and show them just how tough he was. Even after the hospital informed the family he would be a vegetable the rest of his life and turned off the ventilator 17 days after his accident, the Lord made it very clear that Joseph was being called for a higher purpose whether the hospital thought his care was futile or not. He progressed and came completely off the ventilator a few weeks later. In typical Joseph style, he continued to exceed every expectation for the next 10 years. He astounded all with his drive during therapies, whether it involved performing 30 push-ups during an occupational therapy session without the help of e-stem when 10 pushups with e-stem was the goal or overcoming countless stays in the ICU battling highly fatal pulmonary infections that carried a 30-70% mortality rate 3 times. He never backed down from his sufferings and showed us that his will to live was for a greater purpose. Despite the many battles Joseph fought in his lifetime, his friends, family and loved ones will always remember his loving demeanor, lighthearted personality, deep-rooted faith and determination to always be a walking example of Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. It is there, and only there, that Joseph found his strength. His fight, perseverance, and determination inspired thousands of people across the globe in their faith journey as he clung to Jeremiah 29:1, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” They followed his story getting a front row seat watching the many miracles the Great Physician bestowed upon Joseph. His willingness to say, “Yes” to Christ’s calling on his life is a testament to who he was. His family, friends and complete strangers who have followed his story for over a decade and adopted him as their own will miss him tremendously.

• A visitation for Joseph will be held Sunday, July 26, 2020 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Kingwood Funeral Home at 22800 Highway 59 North, Kingwood, TX 77339.

• A funeral mass will take place on Monday, July 27, 2020 at 4:00 PM at St. Martha Catholic Church at 4301 Woodridge Pkwy, Porter, TX 77365. The church is limited to 600-person capacity. If you would like an alternative to traditional funeral attire, please feel free to wear your favorite “Team Joseph” T-shirt or a jersey from a team that you played on with Joseph with slacks. For those unable to celebrate the life of Joseph in person, it will be streamed at https://vimeo.com/440806082/f28c0ddf05 or at www.stmartha.com

• A private family inurnment will follow at a later date.

• A reception with the family will immediately follow the funeral service at the Kingwood Funeral Home at 22800 Highway 59 North, Kingwood, TX 77339

*Please note properly worn facemasks are required at both venues

In lieu of flowers please prayerfully consider making a donation in Joseph’s honor to Texas Rite to Life, a pro-life organization near and dear to the Stanton family by visiting https://www.texasrighttolife.com/ways-to-give/honorariums-and-memorial-giving Please use the address of Texas Right to Life below when completing the form. They will collect the names of all who have donated in Joseph's name and provide a complete list to the Stanton family. Texas Right to Life’s address is: 4500 Bissonnet, Suite 305, Houston, Texas 77401