Stacey Wilson Wade was born on August 18, 1875, in Carteret County, North Carolina.

Educated in Morehead City, he moved to Raleigh in 1909 to work as a clerk for the North Carolina General Assembly.

[2] He resigned on November 15, 1927, to take a position as vice president of the Home Mortgage Company of Durham.

[3] He resigned the office on November 16, 1936, to accept the position of manager of the Eastern North Carolina District of the U.S. Social Security Board.

In 1942, he left the Social Security Board and created the Southern Coach Company, of which he served as president until his death.