William B. "Willie" Dyal DYAL

   William "Willie" B. Dyal, 88, a native of Jacksonville, FL, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at his residence. He was born on April 27, 1921 in Jacksonville, Florida to Mr. William B. Dyal and Mrs. Jessie Pearl Harris. He was a 1940 graduate of Andrew Jackson High School. After graduation he married the love of his life, Dorothy Demerit Dyal. He then joined the Army Air Force in 1944. He was stationed at Lava Ingham, England as part of the 8th Air Force and flew 37 missions in a B-17. He had three aircrafts shot out from under him, one with 294 holes and one engine gone. After the War, he came to Jacksonville and joined the Jacksonville Fire Department and served 27 years, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant. Willie was a lifetime Director of North Florida Chapter Safari Club International, lifetime member of the NRA, and the Jacksonville Gun Club. He was a long time member of the North Jacksonville Baptist Church. Willie was an avid and longtime hunter, fisherman and outdoorsman. His hunting adventures took him all over the World, where he collected many trophy species of game. He enjoyed his Wing Shooting and Clay Sports. Willie raised his three children to love and respect the outdoors. He will be greatly missed and never forgotten by all who knew him. He is preceded in death by his dearly beloved wife of 67 years, Dorothy Demerit Dyal and is survived by his 2 sons, Darryl (Dee) Dyal, and Randall Dyal; 1 daughter, Jeanette (Werner) Schimmelbusch; 6 grandchildren, Amanda (Rick) Kuhlman, Mark (Jodie) Dyal, Andre (Kerry) Schimmelbusch, Anne Morrow, Richie (Celeste) Dyal and Kurt (Samyrna) Miller; 5 great grandchildren, Wyatt Dyal and Milan Morrow, Sean Schimmelbusch, Kraig and Kelli Miller. The family will receive friends at Hardage-Giddens Main Street Funeral Home Chapel (4315 Main Street) Jacksonville, FL from 6:00pm until 8:00pm, Sunday, June 28, 2009. The Funeral Service will be held at 10:00am, Monday, June 29, 2009 at Hardage-Giddens Main Street Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Patrick Vaughan officiating. Burial will follow at Dyal Cemetery in Callahan, FL. In lieu of flowers you may send memorials to Northeast Florida Community Hospice (4114 Sunbeam Rd.) Jacksonville FL 32257 in memory of William "Willie" B. Dyal.

Pictures by Wayne Doolittle