Jerry Elde Stancil Sr.

• Married: Barbara Irene Gardella on Aug. 6, 1966, in San Diego, CA
• Married: Ethel Ina Conwell Glos on Feb. 4, 1978, in San Diego, CA

Jerry Elde Stancil Sr. married Barbara Irene Gardella on Aug. 6, 1966, and married Ethel Ina Conwell Glos on Feb. 4, 1978.
Jerry's children with Barbara Irene Gardella Stancil
Jerry Elde Stancil Jr.
Stephen “Stevie” William Stancil

Jerry Elde Stancil Sr. was born on September 9, 1939, the son of William "Bill" Hubert Stancil and Dorothy Viola Wickham.

From a young age, Jerry showed an early interest in the military, sporting both an army and a navy suit as a little boy. He attended Ocean Beach Elementary School, Henry Dana Jr. High, and graduated from Point Loma High School, where he was active in school sports.

Jerry began his career at General Dynamics before enlisting in the Army in 1962. He served for two years as a helicopter mechanic, including a tour in Vietnam, and achieved the rank of Specialist 4 before his enlistment ended in 1964. After his military service, Jerry returned to General Dynamics for another two years.

In 1966, Jerry furthered his education, graduating from USC with an Engineering Degree. That same year, he began a distinguished 30-year career in aerospace engineering at Rohr Industries. His projects at Rohr were extensive and impactful, including contributions to the NASA Space Shuttle and Titan Missiles. Notably, he also worked on many highly classified projects, often within "skunk works" environments – engineering groups granted significant autonomy and limited bureaucracy for secret undertakings. Many of these projects remain top secret to this day. It's an interesting historical note that Fred Rohr, the founder of Rohr Industries, famously created the fuel tanks for Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis.

On August 6, 1966, Jerry married Barbara Irene Gardella. They had two sons: Jerry Elde Stancil Jr., born on February 22, 1967, and Stephen William Stancil, born on June 20, 1968. Barbara had her own impressive career, serving as a Deputy Sheriff for San Diego County, California, for 20 years until 2000. Jerry and Barbara's marriage concluded with their divorce on September 5, 1971. Barbara later passed away on November 19, 2012, in Hemet, California.

Jerry later met Ethel Ina Stewart Conwell Glos at Rohr Industries, where she worked in the mailroom and was known for driving a motor scooter. Their first date was at a seafood restaurant on San Diego Bay. Ethel was born on February 13, 1937, in Roanoke, Virginia. She carried a unique heritage, being half Cherokee Indian. Her mother, Bressie Love Conwell, worked as a saleswoman in a variety store in 1940. Ethel's grandparents were Andrew Lee and Ina Lucille Love; Andrew was a plasterer, and Ina was a seamstress. After her father's death, Ethel's mother married Woodie Aaron Stewart, a career Navy man, who moved the family to southern California when he was stationed in San Diego. Ethel had been married before and had several children: Ronald William, Danny, Billy, and her youngest, Anna, who was 14 when Ethel and Jerry married. Ethel's occupation was that of an aircraft reproducer.

Jerry and Ethel were married on February 4, 1978, in San Diego, beginning a union that would last for 34 years. Ethel was a devout individual, an active member of the Methodist Church, and a dedicated Sunday School teacher for many years. She was known as a friendly and positive person who "never met a stranger." Her welcoming smile and genuine interest in others were said to "melt the coldest heart," and she was always willing to lend a helping hand, forming many close friendships during her years in Snowflake.

Jerry retired from Rohr Industries in 1996. Given his many relatives on his mother's side of the family in Arizona, he and Ethel decided to move to Coconino County, near the White Mountains. In 2003, they built a house on a golf course in Snowflake, Arizona. Ethel cherished the beauty and solitude of their new home, often taking frequent hikes and indulging her passion for collecting Indian relics, particularly detailed hand-woven baskets. Jerry, for his part, enjoyed playing golf and riding his ATV, with the vast Navajo reservation, spanning parts of Arizona and New Mexico, located conveniently near their home.

Both Jerry and Ethel shared a love for dogs. Ethel's favorites were a Yorkie and a black Poodle, with her Yorkie being a constant companion for an impressive 22 years. Jerry enjoyed the companionship of his energetic Sheltie.

Ethel developed memory problems in her later years. Ethel Ina Conwell Stancil passed away on April 1, 2012, in Snowflake, Arizona, at the age of 75.

Jerry Elde Stancil Sr. continues to reside in Arizona, a testament to his resilient spirit and the life he built with Ethel.