Dr. John W.L. Stilley

Dr. John W. Stilley passed away Saturday, June 23, 2007. Dr Stilley was born on his parent¹s farm in Knoxville Arkansas on Sept. 11, 1913. He was a descendant of Olaf Stille, one of the founders of the colony of New Sweden who arrived in the New World in 1640 and settled along the banks of the Delaware River.

Dr. Stilley worked his way to receive a B.A. in Music from Oklahoma Baptist University. In 1937 he married Marie A. Bell of Wynnewood Oklahoma. After
teaching music at the College of the Ozarks the young couple moved to Chicago where John received a M.A. in Music from Northwestern University.

In 1941 John enlisted in the US Navy and received a D.D.S. in 1944 from Northwestern University. After being decommissioned from the Naval Dental Corps, he and Marie made Flagstaff their home where he practiced dentistry until he retired in 1988.

In addition to dentistry, Dr. Stilley was very active in the community, having served as a Representative in the Arizona Legislature for two years ,
on the Flagstaff School Board for 14 years and on the board of the Chamber of Commerce. He built the organ at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany from scratch and served as the organist and choir director there for forty years. He also designed the large organ in Audrey Auditorium at NAU. He
was a 40 year member and Past President of the Kiwanis Club, one of the founders of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra and the Flagstaff Summer Festival and served on the board of the Raymond Foundation. He was
appointed by the Governor to serve on the Arizona Commission for the Arts and was elected Citizen of the Year by the Arizona Daily Sun in 1968.

Dr. Stilley is survived by his wife Marie and three sons, Peter, Tom and David - all living in Flagstaff, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany on Wednesday, June 27 at 2:00 PM followed by graveside services.

Arrangements are by Norvel Owens Mortuary.