Ocean Springs
Funeral Home
Visitation
June 5, 2023, 1030-1130 am, St Alphonsus Catholic Church, Ocean Springs.
Service
Jun 5, 2023, 11:30 am, St. Alphonse’s Catholic Church.
Burial at Biloxi VA at 1:30 pm.
Obituary
Honoring a Fallen Hero, Who Served Within the Mississippi National Guard. “Fallen, Yet Not Forgotten”
In recognition of our proud American tradition of honorable service which our military men and women have given to their country and our State, we honor a Fallen Hero. Our nation, our state, and the National Guard Association of MS (NGAMS) regard the memorializing of its retired military deceased as an honorable and sacred obligation.
Another great Soldier and Fallen Hero has been released from duty, passed from our ranks on May 20, 2023, and has moved on to his heavenly home. 1SG Jerry Dildy (Ret), age 89, who had served as a member of the MS Army National Guard and served within the 138th Transportation Battalion, 1355th S&S Company, and the 135th S&S BN, has departed and gone to a better place with our good Lord.
It takes a special person to serve within the military for their country, giving up their family time, comfort, and safety for their country, ultimately for all Americans to enjoy their freedoms, safety, and way of life. We now applaud you for your service to our country. A special message from General Douglas McArthur remains applicable today for our servicemen that have passed: “Old Soldiers never die; they just fade away”.
Rest in Peace Soldier. We applaud your patriotism and brave efforts in serving our country and your family for their support of your service. We thank you for your service. Without your efforts and your families’ support, our country would not stand so boldly, shine so bright and live so free.
You now have earned a rest, so go fly with the Angels, go rest high on that mountain; your work on earth is done. Go to heaven a-shoutin’ Love for the Father and the So
Another great Soldier has gone home, “Fallen, Yet Not Forgotten, Soldier for Life”.
Obituary, visitation, and service details:
Charles Gerald “Jerry” Dildy, loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend passed away in the early morning hours of May 20, 2023, in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
Jerry was born in Biloxi, Mississippi on November 13, 1933, to the late Clell Andrew Dildy Sr. and Rita Fayard Dildy. Jerry left high school at Notre Dame in Biloxi, Mississippi just prior to his junior year. Ready to begin a life of adventure and service, he joined the Naval Seabees where he served from Morocco to Cuba. Two years into his service, he returned home to help his family. He went on to finalize his high school career at Biloxi High School in 1956 and joined the Mississippi National Guard. He served in 138th Transportation Battalion, 1355th S&S Company, and the 135th S&S BN Company for a combined total of 40 years. He was trained as a professional mechanic and oversaw the maintenance of the amphibious LARC vehicles. Jerry was awarded the Soldier’s Medal in 1969 for heroics during Hurricane Camille. After retiring from the National Guard, Jerry captained boats for the Gulf Coast Marine Education Center and served as Harbor Master of the Ocean Springs Small Craft Harbor. He also operated one of his boats as a commercial shrimper and designed and built a Turtle Excluder Device (TED) to help protect endangered Sea Turtles. Jerry had a large collection of antique motorcycles, scooters, and Model T’s that he restored. He raced several of his bikes in the Antique Street Bike Races in Daytona, Florida. He has been a member of Cruisin the Coast from its inception and a longtime member of the Antique Auto and Engine Club of Mississippi.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Clell Andrew Dildy Sr. and Rita Fayard Dildy; his brother, Clell Andrew Dildy Jr.; and his grandson, Tanner Charles Fountain.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Judith “Judy” Dildy; his daughter, Leslie Beaugez (Keith); his grandchildren, Claire Huxford (Kyle), Harrison Fountain (Chelsii), Jacqueline Beaugez, Meghan Zahn (Troy), and Rachel Bentz (Sean); and his great-grandchildren, Hadley Fountain, Roman Fountain, Mason Foltz, Grace Foltz, Alice Foltz, and Marley Schaffer.
Visitation will be held Monday, June 5, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:30 a.m. After mass, internment will be held at Biloxi National Cemetery, Mississippi at 1:30 p.m.