Bobby Stanley, age 95 of Jefferson, passed away February 12, 2026 at his home. Mr. Stanley was born July 11, 1930, the youngest child of the late Robert Lee and Ida Sabra Black Stanley. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters Nora Stanley, Carrie Stanley, Johnsie Stanley, Venie Wood, Ada Duffin, Zora Miller, Mae Morrison, Ruth Lockhart and a brother, Gene Stanley.

Bobby grew up farming with his father in the Glendale Springs community. After a short time working in a furniture factory, he returned to farming and made that his lifelong occupation. Most of his work included raising tobacco, cattle and Christmas trees. He also raised and trained Beagles, grew cane and made molasses, grew turnips and cabbage. He was an avid beekeeper from young boyhood and enjoyed processing honey even until his last year of life. Bobby enjoyed gardening and selling his produce and honey for many years at the Ashe County Farmers Market. He also sold honey and large crops of cabbage from his front yard where patrons became lifelong friends and returned each year. He was frequently asked why he didn't use the round bale method for making hay. His favorite joke was to answer that his cattle "couldn't get a square meal out of a round bale of hay".

Bobby worked hard, had a strong work ethic and was very independent. He was determined to do his own work by himself even when his daughter tried to help. He loved Movita fiercely and instilled in her to work hard, to love animals, to enjoy gardening and to appreciate honeybees. Betty supported him in farming with good food at every meal and his favorite homemade biscuits. As a farmer, he surely needed a son and in 2003, he finally gained a son-in-law who became his best buddy. He became known as "Buddy Boy" to Mark and they shared interests in beekeeping and gardening for 22 years.

Mr. Stanley is survived by his wife of 70 years, Betty Fox Stanley; daughter, Movita Stanley Hurst and husband Mark; three step-grandsons, Ed, Cal and Zach Hurst and their families; nephews Jerry Smith, Mark Stanley, Steve Lockhart and a niece, Marsha Stanley; sisters-in-law, Imogene Goodman and Maxine Smith; brother-in-law, Danny Weaver.

Funeral services will be held on February 16, 2026 at 3:00pm at Ashelawn Memorial Chapel. The family will receive friends from 2:00 to 3:00 prior to the service. Burial will follow in Ashelawn Memorial Gardens.

The family respectfully requests no food. Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made in Bobby's memory to Medi Home Health & Hospice, PO Box 421, Jefferson, NC 28640 or Generations Ashe, Home Delivered Meals, 180 ChattyRob Lane, West Jefferson, NC 28694. Condolences may be sent to www.ashelawn.com.

"You'll be in the buzzing bees, the newborn calves, the seeds that sprout, the green pastures of spring. We'll see you in the vegetables we grow, the chickens we feed and in every other lovely living thing."