Jack Lloyd Saylor

Dad was born in January, 1939, to a coal miner and a teacher, Lloyd Saylor and Eva Marie Saylor, in West Frankfort, Illinois, where he would graduate from Frankfort Community High School in 1956. He then attended Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree, before earning a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Illinois School of Medicine – Chicago, in 1964.

While in residency, he met and married a nurse and farm girl, Dorothy Diane Duffin of Whitewater, Wisconsin. It was the mid-1960s, so he commissioned into the Air Force. Jack and “Duffy” Saylor moved to where the Air Force sent him, Biggs Air Force Base, El Paso, Texas. After Biggs Air Force Base closed in 1966, Jack was stationed to Letterman Army Medical Center at the Presidio in San Francisco, California. He was selected as the chief resident while there. While in San Francisco, Jack and Duffy Saylor welcomed Michele “Shelly” Jacqueline (1967) and Michael Riley Saylor (1968) to the family.

In 1969, Jack was stationed back to Southern Illinois, Scott AFB, in Belleville where Angelin Eve Saylor was born in 1971. The Saylor family lived at Scott until 1982. In his tenure at Scott, Jack rose from a young officer to ultimately the Vice Hospital Commander at Scott AFB Medical Center. During those years, he was a staff internist and a flight surgeon. He served as the Chief of Internal Medicine and played a key role in Operation Homecoming for Vietnam returnees. Dr. Saylor also served as a research fellow in gastroenterology and clinical instructor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.

Colonel Jack Saylor was named commander of USAF Regional Hospital, Carswell AFB, Texas, in 1982. He was then promoted to deputy command surgeon Headquarters Air Training Command, Randolph AFB, in 1984, and then to command surgeon in 1986. In 1990, Colonel Saylor became the Vice Commander of Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, where he served until 1995, the end of his proud, 30-year Air Force active duty.

Dad returned to Wilford Hall as a civilian in 1996. Jack Saylor was the civilian head of medical boards for the Air Force until his Civil Service retirement in 2006. In retirement, Dad lived with his wife, Duffy, in Shavano Park, Texas, surrounded by fellow retiree-friends, with whom he lavishly shared stories – some of them true. He often retreated to the garage to his lifelong hobby of woodworking. Dad and Mom celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on January 5, 2023. They loved going on cruises and they adored their grandchildren.

Jack Saylor is survived by his wife Duffy, 83, his three children, Shelly Saylor Wyles of Battle Ground, Washington, Michael Saylor of San Antonio, and Angelin Saylor Cole of Austin, Texas; their spouses, Channing Wyles, Jennifer Bryant Saylor, and Jonathan Cole; and his five grandchildren, Hallie Wyles, Hana Wyles, Jackson Saylor, Kailey Saylor, and Avery Cole.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, September 28, 2023, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Porter Loring Mortuary North.

FUNERAL SERVICEFRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 202311:30 AMPORTER LORING MORTUARY NORTH2102 N. LOOP 1604 E. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78232

Click here to view the service of Dr. Jack L. Saylor Col USAF

Interment will follow in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

In lieu of flower memorial contributions may be made to the American Legion.