Duel Stanfill on a scooter.
Duel Stanfill in uniform.
Duel Stanfill, standing, and a fellow soldier.
Amy Cotta of Franklin, Tenn., submitted several pictures of her father, the late Duel Stanfill, who served with the US Army for two years and the Army Reserve for another four.
Born in Patton in 1938, he reported for duty in November 1961 and went through basic training at Fort Leonard Wood. He completed his M.O.S. training at Fort Bliss, Texas, as part of the Battery B, 5th Guided Missile Training Battalion. Specialist Stanfill would later transfer from Fort Hamilton N.Y. to Bremerhaven, Germany, serving for two years. He separated from active duty in 1963 and was honorably discharged from the Army Reserves in 1967. Duel Stanfill and his family lived near Otto in Jefferson County for a time. They settled in Marble Hill.
“After leaving the Army, Dad went to work for McDonnell-Douglas in St. Louis, where he built fighter jets, including the F-15, F-18, and the Harrier,” Amy said. “After retirement, he pursued his passion for prospecting. He and my mom, Carol, would spend their remaining years together in Yuma, Ariz. The USMC Yuma Air Station is located directly across the street from their home, and to this day, Duel's aircraft flies daily from the base.”
Duel died in August 2020, leaving behind his wife of 56 years and two daughters, Amy and Lisa Clark of Hillsboro.
“My dad was an amazing man, husband, and father,” Amy said. “His ingenuity and creativity were boundless. There was nothing he couldn't fix or create with his own hands. He remains a hero to his wife, children and grandchildren. We are forever grateful for the impact he made on our lives, and for the many gifts and talents he instilled in us. We miss you, daddy.”
