Honorable Albert Leon Stanback, Jr.

The Celebration of Life Service for The Honorable A. Leon Stanback, Jr. will be live streamed on the Facebook Page of Fisher Memorial Funeral Parlor.

The service honoring a life well lived for The Honorable A. Leon Stanback, Jr., will be held on Saturday, July 27th, at 10:00 am at St. Joseph’s A.M.E. Church, 2521 Fayetteville St., Durham.  

Family visitation will be Friday, July 26th, from 7:00-8:00 pm, also at St. Joseph A. M.E. Church.

At 6:00 pm, prior to the family visitation, the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity will conduct the Omega Ritual, followed by the Omega Memorial Service by the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Albert Leon Stanback, Jr. made his peaceful transition on Saturday, July 20, 2024.  Leon, as he was affectionately known, was born on November 12, 1942, to Albert Leon Stanback, Sr and Catherine Caldwell Stanback.  As an only child for 14 years, Leon was overjoyed upon the birth of his sister and only sibling, Pamela.  They enjoyed a special bond of love, affection, and admiration that was unmatched. Leon was preceded in death by his parents and his dear sister.

Leon attended Central High School in Hillsborough, N.C., (CHS) where his father was the principal and his mother taught French and English.  A highly accomplished scholar and saxophonist, Leon’s classmates voted him “Best Personality”, “Most Musical”, “Most Likely to Succeed”, and, along with his lifelong friend, Helen Chavious, “Most Intellectual”. Even then, Leon was the man whom everyone came to know and love and lived up to those superlatives throughout his life.

Upon his graduation from CHS in 1961, Leon matriculated at North Carolina College at Durham (NCC), now North Carolina Central University (NCCU). While there, he continued to play the saxophone as a member of the Eagle’s nationally famous marching band and performed at half-time shows for the Washington Redskins and the Baltimore Colts. He also played the saxophone lead on a selection called “Five Mellow Winds” included in a recording made in 1962 by the band and the outstanding college choir.  In addition, he played with numerous local bands, including The Crusaders and the Lee Darvis Orchestra, performing on college campuses and at jazz clubs throughout the state.  In the fall of 1962, he was initiated into the Tau Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He continued as an active member and remained so until his death.

Leon received his B.S. degree in Chemistry in 1965. Upon hearing some housemates who were enrolled in law school arguing cases, Leon’s interest was piqued, and he decided to attend law school, entering in the fall of 1965. Here, Leon would find his professional passion and begin to lay the foundation for what would be an outstanding career.

After earning his JD degree in 1968 from North Carolina College, Leon was admitted to the North Carolina State Bar after being one of only three successful Black candidates that same year. The Honorable Henry Frye, a former Law Professor at NCC, and later to become the first Black Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, hired Leon as an associate with the Greensboro law firm of Frye and Johnson. A year later, he became an Assistant District Attorney for Guilford County, prosecuting various crimes. Over the next nine years, Leon would become a partner in the law firm of Lee, High, Taylor, Dansby & Stanback, and later, Dansby and Stanback Attorneys. 

In 1980, Leon and Pam came together to form the law firm of Stanback & Stanback, P.A.  They were later joined in the practice by their cousin, Barry Stanback. As Leon continued a successful career and became a leader in the statewide legal community, he was tapped to serve on the Governor’s Minority Executive Advisory Council, advising the Governor on employment, education, and economic development issues. In 1985, he was appointed to the North Carolina Parole Commission. While serving, he developed programs that helped to rehabilitate inmates and made recommendations concerning pardons and commutations.

In 1989, Leon was appointed to the North Carolina Superior Court for the 14th Judicial District, serving Durham County.   While on the bench, he presided over a broad range of civil and criminal matters, earning a reputation as a knowledgeable and fair jurist and gaining the respect of fellow jurists, lawyers, and courthouse personnel. After 20 years of distinguished judicial service, Leon retired from the bench in 2009.

After his retirement, Leon served as a certified mediator with the Dispute Resolution Commission, settling many of their Superior Court cases. In February 2012, he was called out of retirement by Governor Beverly Perdue to become the Acting District Attorney for the 14th Judicial District. He served admirably in this role until August 2014.

Leon worked hard and played hard. His professional, civic and social involvements and affiliations were numerous.  Professional affiliations included the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners, North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers (Past Vice-President), the North Carolina Bar Association, the George H. White Bar Association, the Guilford County Association of Black Lawyers (Past President), and the Braxton Craven Inns of Court at Duke University Law School.

Civic and social affiliations included Beta Phi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc (Past Basileus), Alpha Tau Boule of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, North Carolina Guardsman, North Carolina Central Foundation Board of Directors, St. Joseph A.M.E. Church Steward Board, North Carolina Black Leadership Caucus, North Carolina Council on the Status of Women, and the North Carolina Advisory Committee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission.

Leon accumulated numerous awards and recognitions for his service throughout his life, including  Outstanding Trial Judge in the State of North Carolina - North Carolina Advocates for Justice, Man of the Year Community Service Award - N.C. Western Conference of the A.M.E. Church, Distinguished Service to the Legal Community – George H. White Bar Association, Omega Man of the Year – Beta Phi Chapter, Judge Clifton Johnson Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Legal Community – North Carolina Central University School of Law, and Lifetime Achievement Award – Spectacular Magazine.

Leon is survived by his wife of 33 years, Michelle Floyd Stanback; daughters Kynita Stringer-Stanback (Afiya), Portia Kee, and Catherine Leigh Stanback; granddaughter Victoria Kee Cromwell; mother-in-law Mrs. Willie Mae Floyd; brothers-in-law Elson Floyd, John Floyd (Vonda), Luis Glean; sisters-in-law Alfreda Floyd, Valencia Floyd (Keith); and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

                          Forever in our hearts, a life well lived… A. Leon Stanback, Jr.

The giving link is:

https://www.nccu.edu/institutional-advancement/giving-online

From the drop-down menu, select

Judge A. Leon Stanback, Jr. Endowed Scholarship Fund

For checks, they should be made payable to:

North Carolina Central University Foundation, Inc

Memo section reference E01702 - Stanback Endowment

Checks can be mailed to:

NCCU Foundation

PO Box 52466

Durham, NC 27717

Funeral services honoring the life of The Honorable A. Leon Stanback, Jr. will be streamed live on the church’s website and social media platforms:

St. Joseph AME Church website - https://www.stjosephame.org/watch

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/stjosephamec

YouTube Channel:  https://youtube.com/@stjosephamechurch?si=gJ3Bga2dknCX4Kll

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