Stanley Wayne Stiefel

Stanley Wayne Stiefel, “Wayne,” a purposeful, kind and loving family man, passed away on May 18, 2026 at the age of 82. He was born on June 6, 1943 to Ethel and Morton Stiefel in Baltimore, Maryland. Wayne was very handy, learning much from Morton who was an electrician and handyman. Wayne was always a well-dressed child, making the most of his mom’s work in men’s furnishing at Kann’s Department Store. Wayne grew up in Arlington, Virginia as the mischievous sort running around Lee Gardens. He made lifelong friends with Jack Pevenstein, Mike Dick, and Hugh Kaufman, fellow Arlington Fairfax Hebrew School attendees and touch football teammates. Wayne enjoyed weekend outings on the family boat, the Marway (named for he and his younger sister Marlene) at the Selby Bay Yacht Club. He attended Virginia Tech and graduated as a metallurgical engineer in the ROTC program. Upon achieving status as a Hokie alum in 1965, Wayne accepted a stateside officer commission in the Army Material Command and worked on the Huey helicopter for four years during the Vietnam War. He later made a career at the National Bureau of Standards (renamed the National Institute of Standards and Technology), where he wrote “the book” on lab accreditation for fastener quality, and he represented the United States on matters of international legal metrology. Other areas of contribution included stress corrosion of aluminum alloys, fire safety, and residential product safety. Highlights included analysis of high-speed ground transport for the Amtrak line from Washington DC to Boston, profit/loss budget analysis of the DC Metro System, and as a member of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Committee. Wayne worked for over 40 years in public service before retiring to take care of his grandchildren. Wayne met his devoted wife, Christine Mayo, through the ski club of Washington, D.C. and wed in 1985. They enjoyed time together taking classes and attending events at Washington Metro Oasis and listening to classical, ragtime, and klezmer music. Wayne traveled with Chris in official and unofficial capacities to China, Japan, Brazil, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Hawaii. They especially enjoyed interacting with the peoples of the world and used tour guides for more personalized and authentic experiences. Wayne shared his love of travel, skiing and camping with his family, including ski trips across the country and numerous camping trips (tent camping). He even packed supplies to fly out and camp down the coast of Washington, Oregon and California. You could often find Wayne working out or hiking on the Billy Goat Trail (long after his kids thought it was a good idea). Wayne also enjoyed sailing, crabbing on the Wye River, fishing, softball, and tennis. Wayne felt no greater joy than in the presence of and celebrating the athletic, academic and life accomplishments of his children and grandchildren. There was no place he’d rather be than with family. He leaves his legacy of love and kindness with his wife, Christine Mayo; his children Brian (Caroline) Stiefel and Alysa (Daniel) Bernstein; his grandchildren Nicholas (Maggie), Brittany (Tucker), Noah, Tobias, Seth, Korey, Conner, and Layla; his nephew Craig Greenberg; and niece Rebecca Gluck (Jim) and their children Emma and Mason. A graveside service is to be held on May 19, 2026 at King David Memorial Gardens at 10 am with a reception to follow in Bethesda, Maryland. Shiva is set for May 20 and 21 from 6:30-9 pm in Clarksville, Maryland.

Stanley Wayne Stiefel

June 6, 1943 - May 18, 2026