Stanley Usinowicz

Stan Usinowicz, a resident of Lake Havasu City, AZ, since 1985, died November 20, 2025 at home, of natural causes at the age of 82.

In his lifetime, he was an F-4C Phantom II combat fighter pilot with 100 missions over

North Vietnam and 38 missions over South Viet Nam and Laos; and a squadron

instructor pilot and test pilot in the F-106 Delta Dart (still the fastest single engine, single

seat jet fighter ever built) for seven years, including a six-month deployment to South

Korea during the Pueblo Crisis. In Viet Nam, he qualified for the Distinguished Flying

Cross.

After leaving the Air Force in 1971, he lived in England for five months, then toured

Western European countries for five months before returning to the United States.

He was an editor and executive, leading award-winning newspapers and newsrooms in

Durango, CO; White Mountain Publishing Co. in Arizona's White Mountains; and in Lake

Havasu City, 24 years in all; and as a Lake Havasu City municipal government

department director – Community Development, five years, and Community Services,

five years; and a freelance writer and photographer after leaving the newspapers in

1999, until 2020.

During his adult and professional years, Usinowicz was active in professional news

groups and community boards and service organizations; as an adult Boy Scout leader;

and as a youth soccer coach. He received numerous personal, community service and

professional awards.

He was born on Feb 12, 1943, to Stanley and Aldona Usinowicz, and he spent most of his boyhood in Pompton Lakes, NJ. He attended university in Washington, D.C., graduating from Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service, in 1964. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and entered active duty as a pilot trainee. After his service in Viet Nam, and successive duty missions, he retired from the Air Force as a Captain.

His survivors include Dawn Cody, daughter, Phoenix; Paul Usinowicz, son, and Kendall

Usinowicz, daughter-in-law, Lake Havasu City; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; a sister Joan Hausmann, and brother-in-law, Chris Hausmann, Ledyard, CT; brother Paul Usinowicz, and sister-in-law Lynne Eaton, Delaware, OH; brother George Usinowicz, Durango, CO; and a wonderful friend, Maureen Haaland, East Lyme, CT. He was preceded in death by his son, Christopher, in 2002.

Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home handled all arrangements and cremation, memorial service and spreading of the ashes will be planned for early 2026.