03-05-2025
Vietnam vet from Abilene buried at Texas Veterans Cemetery
ABILENE, Texas () – An Abilene Vietnam veteran was laid to rest at the Abilene Veterans Cemetery as the rain surprisingly stopped before the funeral was to begin.
Honoring our fallen veterans is a notion that we here in the City of Abilene take very seriously. As one Big Country veteran was laid to rest at the Texas Veterans Cemetery, the ceremony was looking bleaker than normal due to rainy conditions.
Stanley Merrill Sterling served for 20 years in the Marine Corps and conducted three tours in the Vietnam War. Sterling was a family man who played the role of 'Mr. Mom' when his wife, Gail Sterling, fulfilled her career in the U.S. Air Force. Following his military career, Stanley Sterling continued his public service by working for the Sheriff's Office and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. At the service, it was said that Stanley carried his Marine Corps 'Semper Fi Spirit' throughout his life.
The weather for the event consisted of pouring rain that was present in the area all morning, but just minutes before the funeral was set to begin, the rain miraculously let up. Stanley's wife, Gail Sterling, says it was the relief she prayed for.
'I didn't want the Marines getting wet in uniform, and I didn't want it to be ruined by the Texas thunderstorms that we get. So, it was kind of nice. I felt like it was an answered prayer', Gail said.
Stanley Merrill Sterlings' legacy includes three sons, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
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