Known to all as Stan, he was a hugely influential figure in the development of cricket in the county, having been involved with the county club for over 50 years as vice chairman (12 years), chairman (three years), youth organiser (nine years) and president for two separate three-year terms, the only one to have held such an honour.
It was a similar story in umpiring, which he did for Glamorgan seconds on a number of occasions, as well as officiating at five Harrison-Allen Bowl Finals and countless other top competitions in a 40-year span in the middle after stepping down from his role as an opening bat at St Ishmaels, where he was a long-serving life member and president.
Stan passed his Association of Cricket Umpires' exams a year after the Pembrokeshire Association of Cricket Umpires was formed in 1959 and was its training officer for 15 years when a number of very good umpires passed through his hands. He did yeoman work in training plenty of those new umpires and always tried to give them support afterwards.
Stan first joined the County Club committee in 1953/4 and remained there, apart from one short spell, until 2007. He was elected as chairman in 1992, taking over the reins from the late John Griffiths for a three-year spell – and was first honoured with the presidency, again on a three-year stint, from 1998. He took over from another doyen of local cricket in the late John Isaac and after another highly respected cricket administrator in the late Cyril Venables had followed him he found himself as the first-ever person to serve a second term as proof of the respect in which he was held.
This was never more evident than when he turned up at grounds throughout the county to watch matches and was made as welcome as anyone could be – because he was known to all, no matter which club or the division in which they played.
On a personal note, my wife and I loved Stan and his late wife Doris to bits. When I was county chairman he was always one I knew I could rely on to give advice if I asked for it – although sometimes it might not be what I wanted to hear! I was honoured to nominate him for his second stint as president of the Pembroke County Cricket Club because no-one could match his knowledge of our local game or his availability to help. Doris was undoubtedly the No 1 lady of Pembrokeshire Cricket and brightened up any room in which she was in.
Both were undeniably proud of son Thomas, daughter-in-law Melanie and especially grand-daughters Sophie and Julie and my thoughts go out to them at this very sad time for the family.
Bill Carne