Chester R. Dibler

Shawnee resident, Chester C. R. Dibler, passed from this life Thursday, September 1, 2005, at the age of 90. He was born May 16, 1915, in Wellston, OK, to Dave and Pearl Hallman Dibler. He joined the Air Force on March 8, 1944, a year prior to the nuclear attacks which led to Japan?s surrender just 6 days after the bombings at Hiroshima. Fort Sill was his place of entry into the service. He was on a train heading to Seattle to set sail for Guam. He received word from a General while on the train. He was glad the war was going to be over. Prior to the train to Seattle and subsequent duty in Guam, Dibler spent time in Arkansas, Georgia, and California preparing him for the war. He was assigned to the Aviation Utility Department. He was a heavy duty equipment operator and built roads, landing strips, and other projects in the Pacific Theater. He sailed to Guam from Seattle shortly after the United States had taken over the South Pacific Country. Dibler?s time in the service yielded several ribbons and medals. He proudly showed his World War II Victory Ribbon, along with his good conduct medal, American Theater and Pacific Theater ribbons He and his wife, Hazel Searcy Dibler, were married in Shawnee at the Courthouse on February 10, 1936. They have been sweethearts for 69 years. Dibler was a farmer in Lincoln County before going to work at Tinker Field in 1948. He retired from Tinker in 1973. He then worked for Vandeveer Oil Co. for 13 years. He was preceded in death by his parents; one grandson, Dennis Ragsdale; three brothers, Ernest, Elsie, and Cecil Dibler; and two sisters, Lela Pallan and Hazel Thompson. Survivors include his wife, Hazel Searcy Dibler of the home; one son and daughter-in-law, Wayne and Paula Dibler of Shawnee; three daughters and sons-in-law, Wanda and Nick Radford of Glenpool, Norma and Curtis Watson of Shawnee, Dorothy and Dickie Herron of Shawnee; 13 grandchildren and their spouses, 16 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren; one brother and sister-in-law, J.B. and Sue Dibler of Oklahoma City; one sister and brother-in-law, Nadine and Oscar Newman of Oklahoma City; 6 sisters-in-law and 3 brothers-in-law, Bernice and Stella Quinn, Anna Belle Owen, Veda and Joe Dodson, Willie Johnson, Darlene Boyd, Elmer and Rosie Searcy, Herman and Carol Searcy, Edward and Reba Searcy; and numerous other relatives and friends. The family will receive friends on Sunday, September 4, 2005, 5:00 - 7:00 PM, Parks Brothers Funeral Home. 1405 West Main Street, Prague.