H. Stan Chilton

STAN CHILTON, WORLD WAR II VETERAN July 2, 1925 April 30, 2018 "When you have run as far as you can, and dont think you can run another step, tell yourself just 100 more and keep going. And when you get to 100, take 100 more." That is how Stan Chilton, 92, loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, lived his life and fought debilitating Parkinsons the last 20 years of his life. Born and raised in Wichita, Kansas, and an East High School graduate, Stan was drafted at 18 and proudly served in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper during WWII. Having met the love of his life and next-door neighbor, Joyce "Judy" Brammell, shortly before leaving for the service, he combined a 3-day pass with a 2-day pass and drove almost 1,000 miles from Ft. Benning, Georgia to Wichita, KS, in 1945 to marry his life-long love, then drove 1,000 miles back to resume his military duties. Stan and Judy were married 73 years. In 1946, Stan returned to Wichita, KS and started Music Service Company. He bought a few juke boxes, pinball machines and pool tables and placed them in various places around Wichita. From this inauspicious beginning, Stan built Music Service Company and then Chilton Vending Company aka Chilton Billiards into one of the largest independently owned amusement game and pool table companies in the country. He based his business on four fundamental ideals: professionalism, honesty, integrity, and ability. Those are the guiding principles that Stan lived by and passed on to his children. Stan devoted 64 years to building the business before selling it at age 84. Chilton Billiards is still in business in Wichita. Stan also branched out into real estate and built, among other things, the Mini-Mall on East Harry. His hobby was building model airplanes. He was a renowned world expert in building and flying lighter-than-air micro-film indoor airplanes, setting 41 national and world records. Although he only had a high school education, he taught himself physics and aeronautical engineering and designed world record class airplanes. In 2014, he was elected into the National Free Flight Society Hall of Fame. He was a life time member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics and was awarded its highest honor, the "Fellow Award." Stan was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse and Opal Chilton, brother Robert, and daughter Linda King. He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Judy Chilton, son Gary Chilton of Edmond, Oklahoma, his wife Michelle and daughter Olivia, and son Randy Chilton of Westminster, Colorado, his wife Deanna, and their children Ben and Kate. Stan is also survived by son-in-law Dennis King, granddaughter Jennifer Yarnold and her husband Greg, and their children Ashlyn and William. Visitation with Stans Family will be from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., Friday, May 4, at Downing & Lahey East Mortuary. Funeral Service will be at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, May 5, 2018 at Downing & Lahey East Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Parkinsons Research Foundation, www.parkinsonhope.org or Interim Healthcare and Hospice of Wichita, 9920 E. Harry St., Wichita, KS, 67207, www.interimhealthcare.com.