I am very proud to be a seventh generation American with a long lineage tracing directly back to Mr. George Stillman who immigrated from England in early 1686. Mr. George was originally from Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire County, England.
My life began in Garwin, Iowa where I lived for the first 11 years of my life. My father - Joseph LaVerne Stillman - and mother - Addie Carpenter Stillman - moved to Biloxi where my father participated in the construction of many of the local area homes during the next 30 years. My two brothers (Glen and Ralph) and a sister (Lucile), along with me, grew to adulthood in the Biloxi area - Ralph and I graduating from Biloxi High School - Glen and Lucile graduating from high school in Beamon, Iowa.
I have always enjoyed fishing and sailing.
In the later-1930's while employed at the Tivoli Hotel in Biloxi, I met and courted another employee there - Marie Ann Hengen, daughter of John George Hengen.
In April, 1940 Marie and I were married.
In September 1942, a son - Alfred William (Bill), Jr. - was born to us.
During World War II, I was on continuous duty assignment with the US Army Corps of Engineers at Mobile, AL; Keesler AFB, MS; Ft. Barrancus, FL; Northwest Division, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Sheffield Shell Plant, Sheffield, AL; and, Mississippi Ordnance Plant, Flora, MS.
When WWII was over, I was assigned to duty with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, AL with the Contract Termination Team, terminating War Contracts. From there I was assigned to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation at Atlanta, GA - then a subsidiary of the War Assets Administration - serving at Bush Field, Augusta, GA to close out supply bases in the state of GA.
In 1946, a daughter - Helen Carole - arrived to keep Bill company.
Another daughter - Marie Ann - was born in 1948.
In June 1947 I attended Louisiana State University (LSU) where I earned a Bachelor's degree in Accounting, graduating in 1951.
I returned to work for the Army Corps of Engineers as a Chief Project Auditor at Eglin AFB, FL. While there, I received a commission as an Reserve Officer in the US Air Force with the rank of Captain.
In 1953, I changed to an assignment at Headquarters, Technical Training, USAF, located in Gulfport, MS serving there until 1958.
This is a picture of Bill, Ann and Helen (early 1950's) and Margie (mid 1960's).
In 1952-53, we built our home in the rural area settled by Marie's father early this century on the north side of Biloxi Bay. The area is called Magnolia Bend - located on the north side of Biloxi Bay across from Keesler Air Force Base where I worked for over 10 years.
In 1958, our youngest daughter - Margaret Mae (Margie) - was born.
In 1960, I tranferred to Brookley AFB, Mobile, AL to work for the Air Force.
In 1968, I returned to work at Keesler until I retired in 1970.
In 1986 a family portrait was taken.
In April 1990, Marie and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary.
In November, 1994 Marie was called to eternal rest by God.
A member of the First Presbyterian Church of Biloxi for over 40 years, I greatly enjoy the fellowship of church activities. A favorite missionary team of mine is Dale & Elaine Rhoton who work for Operation Mobilization (OM).
A 32nd degree Scottish Rite Free Mason for over 50 years, I regularily participate in the Biloxi Masonic Lodge events with my brothers-in-law and long time lodge brothers.
I have been operating a computer since January, 1995 and getting better at it all the time. I recently acquired a Pentium IV 3GHZ. I am learning to use Windows XP. I have a scanner, and subscribe to the Yahoo Messenger, and MSN Messenger.
My son Bill - who lives in Huntington Beach, California helps me to understand how the software and hardware work. I typically communicate over AOL.
My daughter Helen and husband Richard Atkinson participate in family internet communications. They have two sons -
Will, a graduate of Southwestern Missouri State University married to Jennifer,
and,
Toby, a graduate of Southwestern Missouri State University, is married to Terra Gonos Atkinson - they recently had a son, Richard John Atkinson, a second son Connor, and live next door in West Plains, MO.
In 2000, prior to moving to West Plains, I visited with Helen and family Ann and Fred, Margie, Paul and Perry were there too.
My daughter Doctor Ann and husband Fred First have been on the internet for several years - I'm sure that you will agree that Fred has a great home page. They have a daughter -
Holli Marie First Miner, a graduate Physical Therapist, who is married to Michael Miner - they recently has a daughter Abigail Marie Miner and now live in North Dakota;
and, a son
Nathan, a college graduate majored in music - Nathan plays great guitar - is married to Jennifer - and live in Columbia, MO.
My youngest daughter Margie and husband Paul Shuman have been using AOL for many years. Their son
Perry loves to send messages to the other family members and to friends.
In October 1995, Helen, Ann, Bill and I traveled to Egypt for a 12 day tour up and down the Nile River. We had a great time together. We visited the Coptic Churches, the Cairo Museum, the Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Aswan and of course, rode camels past the pyramids. The people were very friendly though Pharoah's revenge was not. :):):):):) We learned a lot about hieroglyphics and to write our names in the ancient alphabet. We each brought dozens of papyruses to frame and display in our homes and to give to our friends.
During 1-9 Jul 2000, my son Bill and I traveled to England and France in search of ancient relatives, visiting with current cousins, and touring London and Paris.
To send me a message select this.