Lonnie Gene Ussery passed away peacefully at Rideout Memorial Hospital on September 20, 2009. Born on July 24, 1934 in Mauldin, Arkansas, Lon grew up in Olivehurst, California. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in September 1953 and retired as a Senior Chief Yeoman on February 28, 1981. In August, 1956, as a young sailor assigned to Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, he met and married his wife, Nobuko. She gave birth to their first child in 1957. Soon after, he transferred to the U.S. Naval Reserve and returned to Olivehurst, where his second child was born in 1958. His young family remained in Olivehurst for eight years, during which he was a member of the Naval Reserve in Sacramento. He returned to active duty status in 1965. Lon completed two combat tours of duty in the Republic of Vietnam with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Three between 1966 and 1969. He was awarded the Purple Heart for grievous wounds received during a rocket attack on his base camp. He was also awarded the Vietnam Service Medal (with two stars and Fleet Marine Force Operations insignia), Vietnam Campaign Medal (IV, V, VI, VIII, X, XI, XII, XIII), and the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross). Subsequently, Lon was assigned to the USS Tillamook (ATA-192), an ocean-going fleet tug, in Yokosuka, Japan from 1969 to 1971. He sailed back into harm's way to retrieve combat-damaged U.S. Navy ships from the Vietnamese war zone for repairs in Japan. During this time, he became one of very few enlisted sailors to qualify as Officer of the Deck Underway during independent steaming, a singularly notable accomplishment. Lon returned to the U.S. with his family in 1971 for assignments at Naval Air Test Center Patuxent River, Maryland, where he initially served with Oceanographic Development Squadron Eight (VXN-8) and then with Patrol Squadron 40 (VP-40). His third child was born in 1971. Lon finally returned to California in 1975 to complete a 23-year military career with VP-31 at Naval Air Station, Moffett Field, California. He transferred to the Fleet Reserve upon retirement and resettled his family in Marysville. Following an active life in military service to his nation, Lon continued to honor an innate commitment to serve his fellow citizens as an employee of Rideout Memorial Hospital until his second retirement in 2001, after which he enjoyed a well-deserved quiet life with his loving wife of 53 years. Lon's beloved wife, Nobuko, passed away June 28, 2010. He is survived by his son and daughters and their spouses, CDR U.S. Navy (retired) Darrell Ussery and Kathryn of Virginia; Diana and Ed Clavel of California and Denise and Jay Pate of Texas; his grandchildren and their families, Eddie and Pamela Clavel, Nic and Melissa Clavel, Loni Marie and Adrian Flores, and Christian Clavel of California, Tiffany Ussery, Kristopher and Jenny Ussery, and Sean Ussery of Virginia; and his great-granddaughter Berlin Clavel. A private family service will be held. Lon's family requests that memorial contributions be made to the National Kidney Foundation, the American Heart Association, and the American Cancer Society.