Obituary: Former North Carolina State Senator, Stanley “Stan” Walker Bingham,
Former North Carolina State Senator, Stanley “Stan” Walker Bingham, age 76, of Denton passed away from natural causes at his home on October 27, 2022. Stan was a jack of many trades and lived his life to the fullest up until his last day.
Visitation will be Tuesday, November 1 from 4:30 – 7:00 pm at Briggs Funeral Home in Denton.
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, November 2 at 11:00 am at Central United Methodist Church in Denton, conducted by Reverend Russell Brownworth. A private Inurnment will be held at a later date.
Stan was born in Clemmons, NC on December 29, 1945 to the late Edna Walker Bingham and Hal Johnson Bingham. He attended Wingate University for two years, before graduating from North Carolina State University in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry. Following graduation, he fought forest fires in the pacific northwest and then traveled the world.
Upon returning to NC, he worked with his father in sawmilling and started Bingham Lumber Company. On February 2, 1972, Mr. Bingham married Lora Faley Bingham. Together they had four daughters, Andrea, Heather, Claudia and Natasha and he was lovingly known as Big Daddy.
In 1990, Stan began his political career as a Davidson County Commissioner. He went on to serve eight terms in the North Carolina Senate from 2001 to 2016. During his tenure, he introduced and passed 171 bills, was pivotal in getting the “No Convicted Felons for Sheriff” state constitutional amendment passed in 2010 and helped to incorporate two Davidson County towns, Wallburg and Midway. Additionally, he received many honors and awards including The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, which is reserved for persons who have made significant contributions to the state and communities through exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments. While in Raleigh, Stan was fondly known for his anecdotes and good-naturedness and adored by his colleagues from both parties.
While he left the NC Senate in 2016, he never really left politics. He remained entrenched in local politics through mentoring others and staying active in local and state politics, never missing an opportunity to engage in lively debates.
Stan had many different interests, including being ahead of his time as an energy conservationist, having purchased a windmill to generate electricity for his home and converting his Volkswagen beetle to run on cooking oil. In addition, he founded The Denton Orator, a local weekly newspaper, where he served as publisher.
Some of his hobbies included being a ham radio operator, playing a 5-string banjo in a Bluegrass band and riding his motorcycles. His legacy, however, will be his limitless generosity, passion for helping others and exceptional storytelling ability.
Stan’s dedication and love for North Carolina was second only to his love for his family. He is preceded in death by his mother, Edna Walker Bingham; his father, Hal Johnson Bingham; and his sister, Patsy Canter.
He is survived by his wife, Lora Bingham of the home; his daughters, Andrea Honeycutt (Travis) of Chapel Hill, Heather Winslow (CJ) of Sanford, Claudia Bingham of Washington D.C., Natasha Sartin (Dustin) of Charlotte; his grandchildren, Cole, Raine, Carter, Eliana, Bingham, Levi, Analeigh and Juliana; sister, Diane McGee (WC), brothers, Steve and Jim Bingham; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Children’s Home, 3844 NC Highway 8, Lexington, NC 27292
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