Tribute to an influential person in my life.

Good Friday morning, it is November 19, 2010 and I bid you welcome to my reflections for today. In what seems almost like a galaxy far far away, I actually worked as a civil service employee beginning in 1965 and had jobs with the US Air Force, the Veteran's Administration and spent nearly two years at the US Army center located at Fort Polk, Louisiana, from1968 through 1969. In the late summer of 1969, a gentleman from Houston served in our public affairs office on temporary assignment. He was a major in the reserves and had missed his regular duty in Oklahoma, therefore, they sent him to Polk. While there he observed my work and asked me to come to Houston for an interview because he thought he would be interested in offering me a job. This was in September of 1969 and I did not have a clue as to what I should do. Our boss was LTC Bill Stallings and I decided to discuss all of this with him. He was a consummate professional and had the presence to command immediate respect whenever he walked into a room. The job had to do with computing. Colonel Stallings told me that he could not tell me what to do but he very much believed that the future would be wrapped up with computing technology. He also said that if it was him, given the opportunities going forward, he would certainly seriously consider this as a career move. I did make that trip to Houston and I did join Pennzoil Company in October of 1969. Over the next 24 years I was greatly blessed in being able to enjoy a wonderful job experience there. The other day I discovered that Colonel Stallings passed away this past September. His wonderful wife followed him just 53 days later. They are both buried in Arlington Cemetery. People come into your lives at different times but God often works through them His providence to accomplish His purposes. Colonel Stallings was a vocal supporter of mine while I had the privilege of working for him. He obviously was a huge influence in helping me to evaluate the opportunity that seemingly fell out of the sky. Several years later I made contact with him again seeking his advice regarding decisions I needed to make. A remarkable man and I will always treasure having had the opportunity to serve such a wonderful patriot. I wanted to share his obituary with my readers today.

STALLINGS WILLIAM BAILEY STALLINGS "Bill" Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.) On September 13, 2010, William Bailey "Bill" Stallings, Colonel, U.S. Army Retired, passed away at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, DC at the age of 84. Colonel Stallings is survived by Evelyn, his wife of 62 years; his children, William B. Stallings II, Robert W. Stallings, Virginia E. Stallings and Patrick A. Stallings; his numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Colonel Stallings was born in Kenly, North Carolina on September 29, 1925 to the late Allye Bailey and Wiley Anderson "Jack" Stallings. Colonel Stallings joined the U.S. Army in 1944. He received a battlefield commission as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in 1945. During his 28 year Army career, Colonel Stallings served in assignments around the world, to include tours in Germany, Korea and Vietnam. He earned the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal and other awards and ribbons befitting a life of service defending America''s freedom. After his retirement from the U.S. Army in 1972, Colonel Stallings served as the Executive Vice President for the Leesville, Louisiana Chamber of Commerce. Colonel Stallings later moved to Salisbury, North Carolina where he spent hundreds of volunteer hours supporting the Westmoreland County Library where his wife, Evelyn, worked as an Archivist. Colonel Stallings last household move was when he and Evelyn joined the Knollwood community in Washington, DC in 2006. Besides his life as a dedicated son, husband, and father, he was a superb Soldier, talented musician, patient computer advisor, and constant friend. He will be missed by all of those he touched in this life. Memorial Service will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, September 18, 2010 at Knollwood Chapel, 6200 Oregon Avenue, Washington, DC 20015. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Knollwood Resident Activities Fund at the same address.

May God bless the memory of this fine man. And may God bless us all as we take the time to honor those who have contributed to our lives. Amen.                  .....More later.