Birth Date: 01/03/1921
Deceased Date: 12/13/2019
Mokie Stancil
1921-2019
Compassionate Civic Leader
Moses Warren Stancil, known as “Mokie”, was the youngest of nine children born to James Calvin Stancil and Lucy Eleanor Creech Stancil on January 3, 1921. Growing up in Smithfield almost a century ago, Mokie learned the value of integrity, education, initiative, and hard work as modeled by his family. By the age of ten, he was up before dawn milking his father’s cows and delivering milk with before and after school jobs, the norm through out his youth.
With the unexpected death of his father when he was just 14, taking on additional financial responsibility during the Great Depression became necessary, and after graduation from high school, Mokie moved to Greensboro to work for Jefferson Standard Life Insurance. With just two shirts to his name, he sent his mother a portion of each check. World War II and a chance meeting at his Army Air Corp Base proved to be a “door opening” as he made a life long friendship at the U.S.O. with Kathleen Maybe, of the H.B. Maybe Company. After the war ended, he returned to Smithfield to marry Betsy Atkins, and soon after, they moved to Oklahoma where Mokie began his career in the oil industry working for the Maybe family.
A family emergency brought them back to Smithfield where Mokie joined Betsy’s father’s oil distributorship, and eventually, he bought the company which became Stancil Oil.
The challenges of his youth, influenced Mokie and soon after moving back to Smithfield in 1948, he found his passion for helping others through volunteering for the local Advisory Board of the Salvation Army on which he served for over 60 years.
Over many years he was an advocate for mental health organizations both on the local and state level. Mokie was a founding member of Mental Health Association of Johnston County. He served in many capacities from fund raising chairman to board president for the Johnston County Mental Health Association, the North Carolina Mental Health Association, and North Carolina Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse. In later years, he was on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging.
As an oil jobber, he was President of the North Carolina Oil Jobbers Association, President of the Carolina Fuel Oil Institute, and was a member of the Federal Energy Administration Wholesale Petroleum Commission during the Carter Administration.
Mokie Stancil took an early interest in the Smithfield Chamber of Commerce and supported the plan to revitalize the downtown. He served as the president of the organization and later worked to recruit new industry in the county as President of the Smithfield-Selma Chamber of Commerce and President of the North Carolina Development Corporation in Smithfield.
His role in the community extended to the Selma Branch of BB&T Bank where he was a board member for many years.
Mokie was a trustee of the Johnston County Community College and a Member of the College Foundation Board of Directors.
Likewise, Mokie was an active and loyal member of Centenary United Methodist Church where he served in many roles of responsibility both locally and within the state. He was devoted to his church community and the spiritual guidance he received throughout the years. Even in the last years of his life, his Bible and devotional guide were often read throughout the day and evening.
He was enormously grateful for the long, prosperous life, God had given him.
His last fund raising role was for the Boys and Girls’ Club of Johnston County which is now, My Kid’s Club. He was thrilled to see its impact on reaching children.
Mokie received many honors and thanks throughout his life but perhaps the culmination was the honor of 2007 Distinguished Citizen given by the Johnston County College Foundation and shared by his wife, Betsy. It was for his lifetime of service to his fellow man. The award sculpture has an outstretched hand, lifting someone up in need.
Mokie shared the last 10 years of his life with his beloved wife, Betsy, in his home with 24 hour care. With the loving care of caregivers and family, he flourished. His family is grateful to the caregivers, friends, and church community who made his journey “kind and gentle”.
He passed into God’s loving arms on Friday, December 13, 2019 surrounded by family. He is survived by his wife, Betsy, of 73 years, daughter, Brenda, and sons, Larry and Charles along with 7 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the Centenary United Methodist Church, My Kid’s Club (P.O.Box 784, Selma, N.C. 27576), the Salvation Army in Smithfield, or the SECU Hospice House.
Online condolences may be left for the family at parrishfh.com
