William H. Stanley

William H. Stanley Endowed Scholarship in the College of Law

William Henry Stanley was born in Kidderminster, England, on Feb. 27, 1880. He was working as a crewmember on a cruise ship of the Hamburg American Line in the early 1900s, when he met a “Mr. Wrigley” during a voyage. Stanley so impressed Wrigley that he brought him to Chicago and gave him a position at the William Wrigley Jr. Co. Eventually, he rose to the position of vice president of finance and director of Wrigley Co.

Stanley’s doctor was Francis X. O’Malley, brother of former DePaul University President the Rev. Comerford J. O’Malley. Dr. O’Malley introduced the Stanley’s to Father O’Malley, and a friendship ensued. When Stanley was in his late 60s, he mentioned to Father O’Malley that he always had a lifelong ambition of obtaining a law degree. Father O’Malley suggested night school and Stanley enrolled at DePaul in 1950.

After a successful first year, Stanley retired from Wrigley Co. and enrolled as a day student. Stanley received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the College of Law in 1954. There is no indication that he ever attempted the bar examination or practiced law; his education at DePaul appears to have been for personal satisfaction, rather than for professional reasons.

Stanley showed his appreciation to the university by becoming a major donor. He died on Dec. 2, 1959, and his estate established the William H. Stanley Memorial Endowed Scholarship and the William H. Stanley Endowed Scholarship in the College of Law.