Stanley Raymond Esterline

Stanley Raymond Esterline died peacefully at his home in Woodbridge, Virginia, on December 15, 2025, at age 80. His loving wife, Gloria, children Syn-D and Chris, and grandson Benjamin were with him, speaking words of love and reading Scripture as he entered his eternal home. Stan is survived by Gloria, to whom he was married for 56 years; daughter Cynthia (Syn-D) Lazo; son Christopher Esterline and his wife, Cindy; son-in-law J Feher; and seven grandchildren he adored: Benjamin Lazo, Ellianna Feher, Ethan Lazo, Aaron Feher, Tyler Esterline, William Esterline, and Clara Esterline. He is also survived by his sister Joyce Park and her husband, Jerry; sister Ellen Larson and her husband, Floyd; brother David Esterline and his wife, Jane; many dear nieces and nephews; and mother-in-law Doris Walters and sister-in-law Joyce Russell and her husband, Grady, who are family as well. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Karen Feher, and his parents, Raymond and Lillian Esterline. Stan was born in Fullerton, California, on June 19, 1945. His mother passed away when he was eight; he and his siblings then lived with their maternal grandparents in Escalon, California, for a time. After his father remarried, the family moved to Felton, California, where Stan spent the rest of his youth. Stan loved his Lord. He wanted the whole world to know of God’s love. As a young man, he took many mission trips to South and Central America, proclaiming the love of Christ. He learned to speak and sing in Spanish; even in the last weeks of his life, he used those skills with workers in his home. Stan’s love for God motivated his spiritual leadership; his nearly twenty years as spiritual director for countless Emmaus teams was especially meaningful, changing his life forever. He was greatly loved by the Emmaus community, not just for his Godly wisdom and speaking ability, but for his delightful sense of humor and how he weaved it masterfully into his talks. Stan loved his family. He loved sharing meals with them, taking them to new places, and exploring new things alongside them. He loved to use drama to tell Bible stories to his children and grandchildren and was so very proud of each of them and their accomplishments. Stan loved the outdoors. He loved running, hiking, and exploring. He loved backpacking in the Sierras in California and spent many retreats in the backwoods of Yosemite National Park. He loved road trips with his family and could not wait to discover a new location or just take a day trip somewhere. While stationed in Germany, he took soldiers on hiking trips through the grandeur of the Alps. He enjoyed travels with his extended family over the years, including a camping trip through Europe with his sister Joyce and their families, a walk across England with his brother David, and trips with his sister Ellen and other loved ones. Stan loved learning. He always had a book or magazine at hand. He graduated from San Lorenzo Valley High School in Felton, California, in 1963, continued his education at Cabrillo College and San Jose State College, and remained a lifelong learner in the decades to follow. After graduation from college in 1968, Stan joined the Marine Corps and earned his Air Force aviation wings in Selma, Alabama. During this time he met Gloria, and they were married in 1969 in Montgomery, Alabama. He then transferred to Cherry Point, North Carolina, where he transitioned into flying F4 fighter jets and earned his Naval aviation wings. He and Gloria were later stationed at Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station in South Carolina, where daughter Cynthia was born. Stan was part of the Thunderbolt Squadron and flew training missions in Puerto Rico, Key West, and other locations. He also served as a military administrative office manager. Upon leaving the Marine Corps in September 1973, Stan enrolled at Golden Gate Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, California. During that time, he served as the associate pastor for youth and counseling at Trinity Community Church in San Rafael, California, and worked part-time at the local Safeway. In 1976, the year daughter Karen was born, he graduated from seminary and was ordained into the ministry. In 1978 Stan rejoined the military family as an Army chaplain and was stationed for three years at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Son, Christopher, was born in 1979. The family was transferred to Schwäbisch Hall, Germany (Dolan Barracks), where Stan served an aviation unit for three years. Upon returning to the States, he furthered his chaplaincy training and was then selected to attend the Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, for a year. From July 1986 to June 1989, Stan served as the chaplaincy training operations manager at Fort Hood, Texas, providing training and oversight for 70 chaplains. His duties included field operations, counseling and pastoral care, preaching, and chapel programs. From July 1989 to July 1991, Stan served at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., as the staff officer for Army training policy. His duties included serving as policy advisor to the chief of chaplains, director of multicultural awareness, and advisor for Army chaplain family life programs, as well as providing pastoral education. Stan was the chaplain of the Pentagon from July 1991 to August 1995, serving Pentagon employees through individual and family counseling and group therapy for divorce and abuse survivors. He provided oversight for religious activities and led Christian worship services. Spending two days with Reverend Billy Graham was a highlight of this time. In August 1995, Stan retired from active duty as a U.S. Army chaplain and lieutenant colonel after twenty-three years of service to our nation. He’d had countless hours of training in drug and alcohol abuse prevention, suicide prevention, grief counseling, clinical pastoral education, and multicultural awareness. While serving at the Pentagon, he earned a Master of Arts in Psychological Services/ Counseling from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, and completed the required 4,000 supervised training hours to become a licensed marriage and family therapist—a ministry he continued for the next thirty years. From September 1995 to February 1997, Stan was the senior counselor at Youth for Tomorrow, a group home for at-risk adolescent boys, in Bristow, Virginia. He then established Christian Life Counseling, his longstanding private practice. Under that umbrella and later at Hope Hill Church, Stan reached countless individuals and families with his wise and Godly counsel. Many would say to him, “You changed my life forever”; “You saved my life—I would not be here today without your counsel”; “You saved my marriage.” Stan served as the chaplain at Reagan National Airport from 2001 to 2005. Mentioned twice in articles in the Washington Post for this role, he offered a spiritual rest stop for travelers of all faiths. He took care to ensure that people were encouraged in their faith, whatever it was. He gave counsel to airport employees and was a valued part of the administrative staff. When the attacks of 9/11 occurred, Stan was at the airport providing hands-on ministry to the victims and families of American Airlines flight 77. He led services in the terminal up to four times daily to minister to airport staff and honor those lost in this terrible national event. In June of 2010, Stan and Gloria’s middle child, Karen, went to be with the Lord. Stan and Karen had been running partners, together completing the Sun Trust Marathon in Richmond, Virginia, a few years earlier. In August of that year, Stan received a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. This changed the trajectory of his life forever—but he was a fighter and never gave up, often saying, “Hope springs eternal.” He traveled so many times to Johns Hopkins that it seemed like a second home. The doctors were almost like family, giving him hope and encouragement. He endured many procedures, including deep brain stimulation. Stan actively participated in medical research in the hope that a cure for Parkinson’s will be found; he was a brain donor at his passing. Stan did not allow Parkinson’s disease to stop his life. (Ultimately, he was not taken by Parkinson’s, but by an aggressive cancer.) He and Gloria took many trips together during the ensuing years, including to Israel, Italy, Cabo San Lucas, Alaska, and Mexico. He took beach trips with Syn-D, Chris, and their families. He visited friends and family in California and Alabama as often as he could. He reveled in his grandchildren. He enjoyed watching football with anyone who cared to join him. His heart for ministry continued to have deep impact on others, and he enjoyed being part of the leadership teams for Emmaus, Prince of Peace United Methodist Church, and Hope Hill Church. Even up to a few weeks before his passing, he was counseling folks on the phone and in his home office. He never gave up! Stan brought joy and encouragement to many. Throughout his life, his compassion and kindness changed lives for the good, and we are confident that his Lord welcomed him into his eternal rest with “Well done, good and faithful servant!” His favorite scripture verse was Proverbs 18:10: “The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous man runs into it and is safe.” Stan is safe in the arms of the Lord, his strong tower, today. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Hope for Nova (hopefornova.org) or the Parkinson’s Foundation (parkinson.org).

Stanley Raymond Esterline

June 19, 1945 - December 15, 2025