Captain Lewis Edwards Diley, USN (Ret) Obituary

After a brief “All Hands on Deck” battle with cancer, Lew Diley, surrounded by family and friends, gave up the good fight to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on June 9, 2010. Lew was born in Dublin, Ohio to James Monette Diley and Mary Lucille Diley on April 29, 1931. Lew grew up in Mechanicsburg, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University for one year and then entered the US Naval Academy (USNA) in 1950 and was commissioned into the US Navy after graduating with the USNA Class of 1954. Shortly after his graduation from the Academy, Lew married Nancy Merrick, formerly of Bala-Cynwood, PA. After an 18 month deployment on the destroyer USS John Hancock (DD-675), Lew entered the Naval Sub School in Groton, CT and began his 18 year career on various submarines. He served on the USS Salmon (SSR- 573) before being one of the submariners handpicked by Admiral Hyman Rickover – the “Father” of the Nuclear Navy, to help defend our country during the Cold War. He then served on his first nuclear sub, the USS Skipjack (SSN- 585) then served on the ballistic missile subs, USS Thomas A. Edison (SSBN-610) and the USS Casimir Pulaski (SSBN-633). He served as the “Gold Crew” commanding officer on the USS Nathanael Greene (SSBN- 636) and the “Gold Crew” commanding officer of the USS James Madison (SSBN-627). Lew was a “Plank Owner” of the USS Salmon, USS Thomas A. Edison and the USS Casimir Pulaski. Lew completed his sea duty in 1971 and served on the staff of CINCUSNAVEUR (Naval Forces Europe) in London, England through 1976. He then returned state-side for staff duty on the Fourth Naval District in Philadelphia, PA and the Submarine Group Six Command in Charleston, SC. After a short course at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA, Lew was stationed at the Joint US Military Aid in Ankara, Turkey as the US Naval Attaché. Lew retired from the Navy in September 1985. Lew’s military decorations and medals include the following … National Defense Service Medal with star, Navy Occupational Service Medal (Europe), Navy Expeditionary Medal, Two (2) Meritorious Unit Commendations, Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal and the Defense Superior Service Medal. Upon his retirement, Lew moved back to Charleston, SC and started his real-estate career. He also became active in KAIROS Prison Ministry while in South Carolina. He moved to Jenks, OK in 1988 and continued in his real-estate career working for J. Carol Realty until he was elected as the Oklahoma Representative to the KAIROS International Board of Directors. Lew also served as the chairman of Oklahoma KAIROS from 2001 through 2004.He also served on the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Inter-Faith Council, the Episcopal Diocese Prison Commission of Oklahoma, the KAIROS Torch Program and the KAI- ROS Outside – Eastern Oklahoma program. Lew and Nancy have four children, Cynthia (Cynder) Diley Pilkington and husband, Gil, of Tulsa, OK, James (Jimbo) Diley and wife, Sharon, of Jenks, OK, William Bradford Diley (deceased) and Elizabeth (Betsey) Diley Seymour of Jenks, OK. In addition, they had one god-child, Sara Constance Snyder, of Falls Church, VA and a foster-child, David Lee Diley of Wynnewood, OK. Lew and Nancy also have six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Memorial Service with military honors provided by the United States Navy will be held on Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 3:00 pm in the Church of the Holy Spirit Anglican in Tulsa, OK. The Reverend Father Briane K. Turley will officiate. Arrangements were entrusted to Gary Kelley’s Add’Vantage Funeral and Cremation Service, 918-624- 2828. On-line condolences can be sent to the family at www.garykelleyfunerals.com. The family would like to request that memorial donations be directed to KAIROS OKLAHOMA, P.O. Box 54383 Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1383. www.garykelleyfunerals.com.