Dealon Stanley

Dealon Stanley of Odessa, formerly of Big Spring, passed away at age 94 on Nov. 25, 2020. He lived an incredible life with much joy and enthusiasm. He touched many people and was a beloved son, brother, soldier, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother-in-law, uncle, and friend. Dealon was born Nov. 28, 1925, in Winters, Texas, the seventh of eight children of John and Laura Stanley. Family was always the center of Dealon's life. His brothers and sisters Ira, Noma, Nolan, Glen, Ethel Mae, Delbert and Quenten, were a tight clan and faithfully looked after each other all their lives. As young boys, Dealon and his brother Delbert would go to town on Saturdays with a dime. They would buy one double feature movie ticket for a nickel and a box of .22 shells for target shooting and hunting with the other nickel. Since Delbert and Dealon looked like twins, they were able to exchange seats at the movie during intermission. Dealon and Delbert were inseparable during their youth.

At age 19, Dealon enlisted in the Army and served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. The marksmanship skills honed in childhood earned him a sharpshooter marksmanship award during basic training. Dealon fought in some of the most intense fighting on the island of Luzon in the Philippines and was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge for this campaign. Dealon and his unit were being readied for the invasion of Japan when the war ended, and he was subsequently deployed to Japan as part of the occupation force for over a year. Dealon's unit was assigned to protect food shipments and to provide security to hold free elections.

After the war, Dealon returned to West Texas and tried his hand at farming in Howard County with brother Delbert. During this time, he met the love of his life, Patsy Burrus, whom he married on Valentine's Day 1950. Dryland cotton farming during this time was tough due to the multi-year drought.