Zechariah Nelson Stanton was born April 15th, 1997, in McKinney, Texas. He attended grade school and middle school at Millsap ISD, then spent his high school career and graduated with honors from Mineral Wells ISD in 2015. Zechariah attended Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, however after a break, he decided his “plan b” should have been his “plan a” and he enlisted in the Navy. He graduated from basic training in June of 2017 and was stationed in Washington State on Whidbey Island following A school in Pensacola, Florida and his first deployment. He spent his first five years in the service in Washington State. He scored high enough on his entrance exams that he was able to choose aviation electricians mate as his career. During his time in Washington State, he went on numerous deployments and DETS. His awards included: National Defense Service Medal, Sharpshooter 9mm pistol, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (3 times), GW-Terrorism Service Medal, Navy/MC Achievement Medal (2 times), GW-Terrorism Expeditionary, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Good Conduct Medal Activity, and a Good Conduct Medal Active. Zechariah was also “bumped” up twice. In May 2022, he began an exciting new chapter and was assigned to JAX in Jacksonville, Florida. During his year at JAX, Zechariah had already achieved advancement in his career, and he was learning more about what he wanted to do with his Navy career. He was planning on beginning additional college classes as a first step to officer school.
Zechariah enjoyed working out, gaming, planes, the beach, sports, food and music. He was a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan. He loved his home state of Texas. He had a ridiculous number of shoes, and he rated places by how well the food tasted. He was an amateur food critic in his own mind. Whataburger was always the first place we would have to stop at once he landed in his home state. He jokingly referred to himself as Superman, which meant his brother was Batman. He mostly enjoyed hanging out with his friends and family. Zechariah was an amazing big brother, son, grandson, cousin, nephew, friend, and co-worker. His smile was infectious. His laughter brought joy. His hugs were the best.
Zechariah was preceded in death by Ovid Nelson and Bernice Stanton, grandparents, Johnny Bodine, grandfather, and Glen Stanton, his uncle.
Survivors include Troy Stanton, his father, from Mineral Wells, Texas, Deborah and Derek Little, his mother and stepfather, of Brownwood, Texas, Christopher Stanton, his brother, of Mineral Wells. Texas, David Little, his stepbrother of Trickham, Texas, Bill and Nancy Conner, grandparents, of Santa Anna, Texas, Eddie and Chrissy Dawson, uncle and aunt of Brownwood, Texas, Eddie and Beth Stanton, uncle and aunt, of Odessa, Texas, Jimmy and Donna Stanton, uncle and aunt, of Odessa, Texas, John and Jackie Bodine, uncle and aunt, of Bossier City, Louisiana, Michael and Ty Bodine, uncle and aunt of Leesville, Louisiana, Kimberly and William Spooner, aunt and uncle of Leesville, Louisiana, Nelda Bodine, step grandmother, of Leesville, Louisiana, Sandy Gosnell, aunt/grandmother, Brownwood, Texas, and numerous cousins.
In lieu flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to either a military suicide prevention group and/or a scholarship fund at Mineral Wells High School.
A funeral service will be held at 10:00am, Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in the Heartland Funeral Home Chapel. Burial with full military honors will follow in the Santa Anna Cemetery. The family will receive friends prior to the funeral service from 9:00 until 10:00 am Tuesday.
Condolences, memories, and tributes can be offered to the family online at heartlandfuneralhome.com.
