Richard Alexander Stearns

Richard Alexander Stearns, Jr., 88, husband of Dorothy "Dot" O'Connor Stearns, of Beaufort, died Friday, April 22, 2011 at his residence. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 2:00 pm in St. Peter's Catholic Church with entombment in St. Peter's Columbarium with full military honors. Mr. Stearns was born on June 14, 1922 in August, GA. He is the son of the late Richard A. Stearns, Sr. and Edna Maxwell Stearns. Mr. Stearns served our country in the U S Air Force as a Pilot and retired as a Major. In World War II. Stearns was a highly-decorated P-47 Thunderbolt fighter pilot. After more than 50 combat missions, he was shot down on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1944 and held as a prisoner of war for 13 months at Stalagluft 1, Barth, Germany. Mr. Stearns also flew nearly 100 combat photo reconnaissance missions in the Korean War. After retiring from the Air Force in 1964, he completed numerous flight assignments over Laos. From 1966 to 1976, he was Chief Pilot for a construction company in Greensboro, NC. The Stearns family moved to Beaufort, SC in 1976. Mr. Stearns attended the University of Georgia, American University in Washington, DC and the University of Maryland. Surviving are three sons, Richard A. Stearns, III, George R. Stearns and Geoffrey E. Stearns; one daughter, Carol S. Medford; and four grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the Stearns request that donations be made to support Hospice of the Low Country. The Stearns family wish to extend their deepest gratitude to the friends and caregivers whose love and support have made Mr. Stearns' final days as comfortable as possible. Anderson Funeral Home is serving the family.