Colonel (USAF retired) Louis Stanley Dillard Jr., passed into the peace of our Lord on December 18, 2007, the 54th anniversary of his wedding to his adored wife Gail, who is already in His presence. He was the beloved father of Julia E. Dillard of Ipswich MA, Rebecca L. (Dillard) and Kenneth W. Anderson of Sacramento CA, and Lee A. Dillard and Paul Adams of Sutton MA; grandfather of Devan A.D. and Andrew S.D. Campbell, Kelsey N. Dillard, and Julianne M. Anderson, and stepson of Mrs. Virginia (Pence) Dillard of Memphis TN. He leaves his cousins Alice Marie (Davis) and Lee Flasher, Claude and Stacey Dillard, Cheryl (Davis) and Robert Moses, Steve and Cathy Davis, and their families as well as his sister-in-law M. Lynn (Beasley) and Bruce Langley and their family, and Gail's aunt Mrs. Lucile Carroll.

Stan was born to Evelyn R. (Davis) and Louis Stanley Dillard Sr. on September 9, 1932 in Memphis, Tennessee, was raised in Memphis and graduated from Humes High School. He enlisted in the ROTC program while attending Memphis State University where he was also a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. In 1954, he took a BS from Memphis State, a ROTC commission and entered the U.S. Air Force as a second lieutenant. He later attended Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, the Air War College, and earned an MS from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He served unaccompanied tours of duty in Viet Nam and Korea. Gail and Stan were partners in a journey of 27 years with the U.S. Air Force, serving our country through those anxious years of the Cold War. His decorations include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service and Joint Service Commendation Medals, and the Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster. He retired from the Air Force in 1981 and worked for GTE Sylvania in Westboro MA until 1986 when he and Gail moved back to Lompoc to truly retire and golf.

Gail and Stan made many good friends, golfed, traveled and thoroughly enjoyed their retired life in Lompoc, which for Stan included nurturing his roses. Stan began golfing in his 20's and continued to do so as long as he could with Gail and his friends at the Village Country Club.
Stan was also an avid birder. His interest was triggered by duck hunting with his dad, and developed into a passion while a Boy Scout working with the Tennessee Ornithological Association where he started his life list. In Lompoc, he birded with the La Purisima Audubon Chapter and worked on the Bluebird Recovery program located on the VCC Golf Course.

He contributed leadership to his community in many ways including: ordination as Elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Lompoc in 2003, maintaining his membership as a Master Mason in good standing since 1973, and as an active member of the Rotary Club of Vandenberg Village.
Always engaged in politicking, as his COPD worsened, Stan became an internet activist with respect to health care – particularly lung disease. He provided support and guidance to many people with this affliction and lobbied for expanded coverage for treatment. He stayed politically informed and engaged in civic life at all levels of government - to the end of his life. He will be honored to be remembered as a good citizen and a proud American.

A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, December 22, 2007 at 10:00AM at First Presbyterian Church, 1600 Berkeley Drive, Lompoc – with luncheon to follow at the Village Country Club. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the American Lung Association, 61 Broadway, New York, NY 10006, 212/315-8700 or on-line at www.lungusa.org.