Stanley Howard Sergent Jr.

away Wednesday, November 28, 2018, following a lengthy illness. Stan was a renowned

and well-respected attorney and Labor Arbitrator. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Connie Harris Sergent, his daughters Amy Sergent, Lisa Robertson, and Laura Mouhot, and his

grandchildren Jordan, Maddux, Allison, Caroline, Emily and Christopher.

Stan was born and raised in Charleston, WV, where he attended Charleston High School before attending college at West Virginia University. At WVU he was President of Kappa Sig fraternity. He married his high school sweetheart, Connie, in 1962, and she worked at the University and at a bank in Morgantown to support the young couple while he attended WVU Law School. After his graduation in 1966, Stan and Connie returned to Charleston where he later formed a partnership with brothers Gene and Ralph Hoyer, forming the law firm of Hoyer, Hoyer & Sergent. Stan was extremely proud when the firm took over the restoration of the old Collins Department Store to build their law office, undertaking some of the first renovations on downtown Charleston’s historic Capitol Street.

It was also in Charleston that Stan and Connie proudly raised their three devoted daughters, Amy, Lisa and Laura. The girls attended Charleston Catholic High School and they all participated in a myriad of sports, clubs, and social activities. Stan and Connie were members of Berry Hills Country Club where they both played tennis and Stan loved playing golf. Stan paid back the favor to his loving wife and supported Connie while she completed college and earned her nursing degree from Morris Harvey College. Weekends were largely dedicated to family, and there was nothing that the family enjoyed more than skiing at Snowshoe Mountain. Stan and Connie built a house on that mountain when the girls were young and most every weekend, and certainly every Christmas, holiday and school vacation, the family (and many, many friends) enjoyed time together -- skiing in the winter, fishing, hiking and playing in the lake and the headwaters of the Elk River in the summer. Despite being outnumbered by the women in his life, Stan was always the consummate patriarch and ring-leader of the group. After putting together the various family trips and outings, everyone would pile into the old Chevy Blazer and off they went down country roads, cat and dog in tow, speakers vibrating with Willie’s “Red Headed Stranger” blaring out the windows. The tradition continued after Corky and Connie and the girls moved to Sarasota in 1986, and even after the grandchildren were born. The entire family made numerous trips to their old stomping grounds at Snowshoe and the tiny fish camp town of Bergoo where “Poppy” taught the grandkids how to fish for trout, float an air mattress down the river, and jump off the top of the water falls. Stan also inspired new traditions with visits around the country to see his beloved Mountaineers play football (Go ‘Eers!) and annual family trips to the Omni Resort in Orlando.

In a professional capacity, Stan was a renowned and well-respected attorney and Labor Arbitrator for nearly fifty years. In his role as an arbitrator he was chosen by the parties to serve as a neutral third-party and to rule on thousands of labor disputes involving discharge and discipline of employees, contract interpretation, and a myriad of other labor-management issues. His keen insight, astounding intellect, and reputation for ruling fairly and even-handedly earned him a place as one of the most prolific and well-regarded arbitrators in the country. Stan served on multiple national arbitration rosters including the American Arbitration Association and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. He was also a long-standing member of the prestigious National Academy of Arbitrators. Stan found it especially rewarding that as an integral part of his job he had to travel all over the country and abroad, even as far as Europe, Panama, and the Caribbean. He loved that Connie would almost always travel with him for his business trips and she has hundreds of amusing stories of their missed flights, wrong turns, culinary experiences, misadventures and travel escapades.

As for his legacy, Stan will be most remembered for the eternal love he had for his wife and family. The family has always been exceedingly close. Love, kindness, support and respect for one another were always of premium importance and Stan instilled those core values in all his children and grandchildren. His heart-felt interest in the happiness and continued well-being of all of them was so vitally important to him. Stan always had a deeply loving and caring nature and a true generosity of spirit which he undoubtedly inherited from his own father, Howard. Stan was always so sweet and kind to everyone around him, he was funny, witty and wise, and so many friends have already expressed all the ways that their lives were enriched by having him in it. The world has suffered the loss of a truly great man. Although he will be sorely and sadly missed, anyone who knew him undoubtedly has many great stories and will certainly cherish his memory now and for always.

A memorial service will be held at Church of the Palms, Sarasota, FL, 3224 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, on December 18 at 2:00 p.m. followed by a Celebration of Life at the Landings Racquet Club. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Food Pantry at the Church of the Palms.