* David F. Stiling; Retired Navy Commander

Retired Navy Cmdr. David F. Stiling, a longtime resident of Camarillo, died at his home Jan. 18. He was 81.

He was born Dec. 17, 1919, in Benton Harbor, Mich. He grew up and graduated from high school in Williamsville, N. Y., near Buffalo.

After graduating in 1941 from Hiram College in Ohio, Stiling enlisted in the Navy and received his officer’s commission as an ensign in January 1942. His World War II service included commanding a submarine chaser (SC-641) and flight instructor duty.

A career officer, Stiling served most of his 30 years of active duty as a naval aviator and was ordered to the Naval Air Station Point Mugu in 1959. His family moved later that year to Camarillo.

Stiling was a graduate of the Naval War College and Naval Postgraduate School. He served with naval aviation commands in the Panama Canal Zone, California, Japan, Kansas and Hawaii, logging more than 10,000 hours of flight time.

While at Point Mugu, Stiling was the base operations officer, range aircraft officer for the Pacific Missile Range and executive officer of the Naval ROTC unit at UCLA.

After retiring from active duty in 1971, he pursued interests in real estate investment.

Stiling was both the son and father of naval officers, but family members said his life was not defined by naval service. He is described as a man of great generosity who gave steady support and encouragement and was fiercely loyal to his faith and family. He sang tenor solo in church, was a cattle rancher in Colorado, went fishing in the far north, flew private airplanes, played with his grandchildren, made ice cream and toured the world. He did it all with a great love for life and people, family members said.

His clever and quick humor will be remembered by friends and family, especially his spontaneous one-line jokes.

Stiling is survived by his wife of 54 years, Dorothy; sons Rodney of Madison, Wis., and David Jr. of Costa Mesa; daughters Gretchen Wilson of Washington, D. C., and Brooke Gebow of Tucson; nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a son, Stewart, who was killed while on active duty with the Navy.

A memorial service is scheduled at 2:30 p.m. Friday at the Chapel of Faith on Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu Naval Station. Burial is planned at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the “Punch Bowl,” in Honolulu.

Arrangements are under the direction of Pierce Bros. Griffin Mortuary in Camarillo.